India, April 14 -- Gaurav Gill, representing JK Tyre, was third on the opening day of the Otago Rally in New Zealand. With a mere 30-second gap behind the leader, Jack Hawkeswood, and a close 11-second difference from second-place holder Robbie Stokes, Gill, alongside his co-driver Jared Hudson, positioned themselves as strong contenders for a podium finish.

The renowned Haydon Paddon, a ten-time Otago Rally winner and the 2022 APRC champion, joined forces with Gill and Hudson, manoeuvring the Hyundai i20 N Rally2. Over the course of the day, the drivers tackled eight distinct stages, each presenting its own set of challenges. While Gill incurred a mere fifteen-second cost due to an error on Stage 5, his stellar performance on stages 4, ...