Sun City (South Africa), May 17 — Indian motorcycle rider Harith Noah is set to make his competitive return at the inaugural South African Safari Rally, marking Round 3 of the 2025 FIA FIM World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC), which begins Sunday.
Noah has been sidelined since a crash during the 2025 Dakar Rally that left him with a fractured wrist. After months of rehabilitation, the Indian rider confirmed he has regained full fitness.
“After Dakar, I needed time to recover from the injury, but everything went well and I'm back to full fitness now,” said Noah. “This is my first race since the crash, so there are definitely some nerves, which is normal.”
The South African Safari Rally poses a new challenge for competitors, as it is being held for the first time with a completely unfamiliar route. “The key is to stay calm, get used to the bike again, and take it one kilometre at a time,” Noah added.
The rally brings the World Rally-Raid Championship to South Africa for the first time and is expected to become a highlight of the W2RC calendar, with its extreme terrain and rapidly shifting climate conditions offering a tough test for participants.
The 2025 W2RC season spans five rounds across three continents. It began with the iconic Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia, followed by the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge. After South Africa, the championship will move to Portugal for the BP Ultimate Rally Raid in September, and will conclude in October with the prestigious Rallye du Maroc.
