Sun City, [South Africa], May 17 (ANI): Indian rally-raid sensation Harith Noah is set to make his return to competitive racing in the Rally 2 category at the newly introduced South African Safari Rally, scheduled to start from the Sun City Resort from May 18 to 24, 2025, according to a release from W2RC.

The rally marks Round 3 of the FIA FIM World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) 2025, and Harith's first competitive return to W2RC after an injury-led exit at the Dakar Rally earlier this January.

Noah, part of the SHERCO TVS RALLY FACTORY, returns after an early exit from Dakar 2025, where a crash during Prologue left him with a fractured wrist and forced him to withdraw early.

Despite the setback, Noah completed the stage before scans confirmed the injury that required immediate surgery.

Now, just four months later, he's looking forward to tackling the unforgiving South African landscape and getting back in the mix for his 2025 campaign, with future rounds and a longer-term goal of mounting a strong challenge for Dakar 2026.

'After Dakar, I needed time to recover from the injury, but everything went well and I'm back to full fitness now. This is my first race since the crash, so there are definitely some nerves, which is normal. But the South African Safari Rally is a new challenge for everyone; the route is unfamiliar territory across the board. The key is to stay calm, get used to the bike again, and take it one kilometre at a time,' said Harith Noah.

South African Safari Rally brings the W2RC to South Africa for the very first time, promising a groundbreaking addition to the championship and offering one of the most challenging, scenic, and diverse rally routes yet.

With extreme terrains and rapidly changing climates, the Safari Rally is poised to become a standout fixture on the W2RC calendar.

The 2025 W2RC season features five rounds across three continents, pushing riders through a wide spectrum of terrains and conditions.

The year kicked off with the legendary Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia, followed by the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge.

Now, the championship heads into uncharted territory with the debut of the South African Safari Rally.

The final two rounds will take riders to Portugal for the BP Ultimate Rally Raid in September, before culminating with the iconic Rallye du Maroc in October.

Noah's return is significant not just from a personal standpoint, but also for Indian motorsport. With the W2RC expanding its global footprint, Indian representation in such high-level events plays a key role in elevating the country's presence in off-road racing. (ANI)