11th Rainforest Challenge India Kicks Off in Goa with 77 Teams

The 11th edition of India’s toughest off-road motorsport event, the Rainforest Challenge (RFC) India, has started in Goa. Organized by Cougar Motorsport from Delhi, RFC India is the Indian version of the famous Rainforest Challenge of Malaysia, which is known as one of the world’s top 10 toughest motor races and top 5 toughest off-road races. Since its first event in 2014, RFC India has become the country’s most prestigious off-road motorsport competition.

This year, RFC India has added two new categories—‘4X4 Modified’ and ‘4X4 Stock’—alongside the main ‘4X4 Extreme’ category. These new categories make the event more inclusive and open to more people from India’s growing 4X4 community.

Mr. Luis J.A. Wee, Founder of the Rainforest Challenge, congratulated all participants and said they will face tough challenges for both mind and body, and will have the chance to prove themselves as true 4×4 warriors.

Teams from 11 states are taking part, including Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Goa, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu. Karnataka leads with 24 teams, followed by Maharashtra with 18, and Goa with 9 teams. For the first time, a team from Meghalaya is competing, joining the new ‘4X4 Modified’ category. This year, women are also participating in all three categories.

Mr. Ashish Gupta, Founder & Director of Cougar Motorsport, said that RFC India is about pushing the limits of both vehicles and people. He is excited to see new categories and teams from new regions like Meghalaya, showing that off-roading is becoming more popular across India.

The 77 teams are split into three categories based on how much their vehicles are modified. The ‘4X4 Extreme’ category has 25 teams and features the toughest challenges. The ‘4X4 Modified’ category has 22 teams, and the ‘4X4 Stock’ category, for almost factory-standard vehicles, has the most entries with 30 teams.

The event will run until August 3. Each category will face its own set of challenges. The ‘4X4 Extreme’ teams will compete in 26 tough Special Stages (SS) that test driving skills, recovery techniques, endurance, and teamwork. Vehicle checks for this category finished today, and the competition starts tomorrow. The ‘4X4 Modified’ and ‘4X4 Stock’ teams will have their vehicle checks on July 29 and 30, before taking on 20 and 14 Special Stages, respectively.

The stakes are highest in the ‘Extreme’ category, where the top Indian driver will win a free entry to the Rainforest Challenge Global Grand Finale in Malaysia later this year.

Winners in all categories will be announced on August 3, after a week of intense, adrenaline-filled competition in Goa’s rugged, rain-soaked.