Aravind KP aims to complete Dakar on his maiden start

The Bangalore-based rider was announced to make his Dakar debut earlier in June with the TVS Sherco team, alongside Joan Pedrero and Adrien Metge.

Having competed with the Indian manufacturer, TVS, in the domestic rallies, Aravind has an impressive tally of 17 national titles to his name, to go with his Raid de Himalaya victory in 2015.

In his preparation for Dakar, the Indian took part in the Baja Aragon and Morocco Rally, where he successfully finished inside the Top 20 in the FIM class in both the cross-country rallies.

Ahead of his maiden outing, Aravind spoke to Motorsport.com about his training regime leading to the rally and his personal goal of finishing all the stages starting from Paraguay, through Bolivia and ending in Argentina:

Q) How has been the preparation going on for you ahead of your first run in Dakar? What's your daily schedule like?

"The preparation of any race doesn’t begin before the race, it is rather an ongoing process. Before any important championship, it just intensifies.

Over the past few months, besides focusing on fitness and building my stamina, I have been doing enduro training in France and road book training in Spain. This helped me navigate through the deserts of Morocco in the Oilibiya Rally.

I have been spending a lot of time on my motorcycle. The extreme conditions and the longevity of the event is very straining [as we know] and so I am preparing well [to tackle the conditions]."

Q) Nervous about it? Considering it is such a long rally and anything can happen - do you think you'll take it albeit cautiously for starters, so what's your aim like?

"I am excited and nervous at the same time. However, after the Rally of Morocco, I have realised the importance of finishing a race with your motorcycle in one-piece.

[Since] it will be my first time at Dakar, so I am looking at realistic goals like improving my personal time and [more so] finishing the rally. It is very important for me to finish all stages of Dakar- that would be quite an experience.

The intensive training with TVS over the past few years helped me in Aragon and Morocco to compete at par with some of the top notch international racers at Dakar.

It will be a learning experience for me, and as I said I have kept a very realistic goal for myself to finish the rally along with my teammates Joan and Adrien."

Q) What do you think of the bike after competing in the Morocco Rally? How do you think it perform against the likes of KTM and the Honda?

"The bike I rode in Morocco is quite similar to the bike I will be riding for Dakar. Before any championship, it is important to get used to the machinery you will be riding on.

Time on the bike helps to get the experience of it and also its behaviour on the course. The run in Morocco was valuable in that case.

We have two very good riders and we are as competitive as any other rider participating in Dakar. Our team has a blend of experience in Joan and Adrien, so it should be a fun ride."