Rally rider Mobin Shah passes away during Ultimate Desert Challenge 2023

Budding rally rider Mobin Shah tragically passed away while competing in the 2023 Ultimate Desert Challenge (UDC) in Jaisalmer. While the cause of death hasn’t been confirmed, it is understood that he succumbed to heat exhaustion and dehydration in the sand dunes. In light of the tragedy, Day 2 of the rally was cancelled.

• Mobin Shah had competed in top rallies like Dakshin Dare
• Day 2 of the Ultimate Desert Challenge was cancelled

Shah was an up and coming rally racer and had competed in some of the top rallies in the country – including this year’s Dakshin Dare. An official statement released by event organisers says the 27-year-old was found “exhausted sitting away from his bike”. “[The] rider was immediately attended to by our team and received medical attention in [the] life support ambulance, before being transferred to the local hospital. Despite the best efforts of the medical staff, it wasn’t enough to save the soul,” the statement said.

“The complete motorsport fraternity and Team UDC extend heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and loved ones of Mobin Shah,” the statement added.

Since its introduction in 2014, the Ultimate Desert Challenge has been a standard fixture in the Indian rallying scene. However, this incident is a gruesome reminder of the risks involved in racing in extreme conditions. Earlier this year, experienced Dutch rider Bram van der Wouden also passed away after suffering a heat stroke while competing in the Morocco Desert Challenge.

The Indian motorsport community has suffered some big losses recently. Earlier this month, 13-year-old Shreyas Hareesh (the first MiniGP Indian champion) lost his life in a crash during the Indian National Motorcycle Racing Championship.

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