Naveen Puligilla and Musa Sherif create history with WRC podium finish

Hyderabad’s Naveen Puligilla and co-driver Musa Sherif made history by becoming the first all-Indian team to secure a podium finish in a World Rally Championship event, finishing second in WRC3 at the Saudi Arabia Rally 2025 in Jeddah

Hyderabad: Indian rally racing reached a historic milestone as Hyderabad’s Naveen Puligilla and seasoned co-driver Musa Sherif became the first all-Indian team to secure a podium finish in a World Rally Championship event.

Competing in the WRC3 category at the Saudi Arabia Rally 2025 in Jeddah, Naveen and Musa finished second in their class, powering the Indian flag onto the highest global rally stage, a historic breakthrough for Indian motorsport.

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According to provisional results, the duo completed the gruelling rally in 4 hours, 28 minutes and 58.7 seconds, finishing 26th overall among 41 cars. Their Ford Fiesta Rally3, prepared by Africa Eco Sports of Nairobi, Kenya, was just 1 minute 14.2 seconds behind the next WRC3 competitor, giving them a comfortable margin ahead of the rest of their class. This achievement stood out amid a strong field dominated by Rally1 and Rally2 cars from factory teams like Hyundai, Toyota and M-Sport Ford. This marks the first time an Indian driver and co-driver pair claimed a podium spot in any WRC category.

Unlike previous Indian competitors such as Gaurav Gill, who partnered with foreign co-drivers, Puligilla and Sherif showed seamless teamwork on some of the rally’s most challenging terrains, which included fast gravel roads, shifting sand dunes and broken desert tracks over 17 demanding special stages.

For Puligilla, this podium capped off an impressive season. The Hyderabad driver showed consistent growth throughout the year, with a podium finish at the Tanzania Rally and a category win at India’s National Rally Championship’s Robusta Rally in Kodagu. Puligilla’s composed and strategic driving on the tough Saudi desert terrain demonstrated skill and controlled aggression.

Sherif, with over 33 years of rally experience, was integral to their success. His expert navigation and steady pace note calls guided the duo through the fast-changing desert landscapes, ensuring they maintained speed and rhythm where visibility and grip were constantly shifting.

“This podium means far more than just a trophy,” said Puligilla. “It proves that Indian crews can compete at the highest level on the world stage. The Saudi rally was tough, but our focus on consistency and clean driving paid off. I am proud to hold the Indian flag and stand on a WRC podium and it is a massive motivation to push even harder.”

“The variety in the terrain, from hard gravel to loose sand, tested us like never before. Naveen’s calm behind the wheel and our synced pace notes made the difference. Bringing a WRC podium home for India is incredibly rewarding,” Sherif said.