PUNE: There isn’t any substitute to time behind wheels for rally drivers and that is what Pune’s lone international driver Sanjay Takale aims to do before international challenges beckons him in the second part of the year as he heads to Thailand for the Round 1 of the Thailand Pre-Rally Championship.

After deciding to take a break from the Asia-Pacific Rally Championship that he drove in for five successive seasons, Takale has lined up a host of international rallies and Thailand makes one ideal destination to prepare for the tougher European rallies. “I am counting on doing well in Thailand in the 4-wheel rally because that will help me prepare for the tougher European rallies,” Takale said.

The Pune rally driver will be driving Isuzu DMax for Delo Sport with Thanyaphat Meemi as his co-driver.