6X National Champion Asad Khan Set For International Rally-Raid Debut

Six-time National Rally Champion Asad Khan is set for his international rally-raid debut later this year, starting with the Qatar Off-Road Championship in October before he lines up for the final two rounds of the FIM Bajas World Cup in Qatar and Dubai.

Asad Khan will compete as a privateer, backed by Solace Gears, House of Machines and Magnum Motorsports. Speaking on the partnership, Khan said, "Representing India at the international level is a responsibility I take seriously. I'm proud to have Solace supporting me in this next chapter."

Asad Khan started his motorsport journey on the plantation trails of Chikmagalur in Karnataka, inspired by his father's rally racing background. He has since gone on to become one of the most prominent names in Indian off-road racing, winning the Indian National Rally Championship a total of six times across .

Khan has also added the Rallye De Bengaluru Series title in 2011, runner-up honours in the Junior Indian National Rally Championship for cars in 2013, and the inaugural Hero Dirt Biking Challenge title in 2022. He capped this with the Indian National Rally Sprint Championship and MMSC Sprint Series titles in Group D in 2023, and a runner-up finish in Class 2 of the Indian National Rally Championship in 2024. Across these disciplines, he has secured over 200 podium finishes in rally, supercross and dirt-track events.

For his international campaign, Asad Khan will campaign the Kove 450EX Rally. He holds an FIM Cross Country License, which makes him eligible for all FIM Bajas World Cup rounds as well as other regional Baja events.

This year's FIM Bajas World Cup features seven rounds in total, with Qatar (October 28-31) and Dubai (November 5-8) forming the final two legs. Baja events typically run two to three days, shorter than full cross-country rallies, but still test riders and machines over gruelling terrain.

Khan will also compete in the Qatar Off-Road Championship in October as part of his preparations ahead of his Bajas World Cup debut. Khan's campaign adds to a small but growing group of Indian riders competing in international cross-country rally events.