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10th Maruti Suzuki Desert Storm
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Gaurav Chiripal's Vitara managed to fall just short of the 150 kmph mark on the flat out sections of the eighth special stage. HT/Vinayak Pande
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Rahul Soni sets off the starting line on his Polaris ATV. HT/Vinayak Pande
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Suresh Rana prepares himself before taking on the 339.76 km long eighth special stage. HT/Vinayak Pande
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The award for the most distinctive car in the Desert Storm easily went to the XUV 500s of Gaurav Gill and Lohit Urs thanks to its signature headlight arrangement. HT/Vinayak Pande
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Team Thunderbolt's Harpreet Singh Bawa is greeted by the insect residents of the salt pans. HT/Vinayak Pande
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Gaurav Chiripal's Vitara was up to second by the start of the seventh special stage near Seekra. HT/Vinayak Pande
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Suresh Rana lines up to start the seventh special stage as the sun goes down on the salt pans near Seekra in Gujarat. HT/Vinayak Pande
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The third leg featured a 587 km long transport section from Jaisalmer to Bhuj that saw the competitors stop often for roadside repairs and maintenance. HT/Vinayak Pande
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The second leg starts with the local farmers trying to get to their fields that bordered the first special stage of the second leg. HT Photo/Vinayak Pande
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Anwar Khan gets down and dirty on the fourth special stage of the rally... HT Photo/Vinayak Pande
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..as does Sanjay Agarwal. HT Photo/Vinayak Pande
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Gaurav Gill won the fifth special stage despite having just two wheel drive and suspect brakes on his XUV 500. HT Photo/Vinayak Pande
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The 10th Desert Storm is underway and HT brings you photos from the gruelling 3,500 km event that will run from Rajasthan from as far as the Rann of Kutch. The event is a test not only of the skill of the drivers but also of the sturdiness of their machines. Pic: Last year's Desert Storm winner Sunny Siddhu's Grand Vitara leads the 48 strong field in the Xtreme category towards the ceremonial flag-off in Delhi on Monday. HT Photo/Vinayak Pande
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Seven-time Raid de Himalaya winner Suresh Rana drives his Gypsy at the start of the opening stage (and the only night stage) near Sardarshahar in Rajasthan. HT Photo/Vinayak Pande
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INRC winner Lohit Urs in his factory backed but privately entered Mahindra XUV 500. Defending INRC champion Gaurav Gill has also entered the Desert Storm in an XUV 500. HT Photo/Vinayak Pande
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Lohit Urs flashes past. HT Photo/Vinayak Pande
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Team Thunderbolt's Hapreet Singh Bawa... HT Photo/Vinayak Pande
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...followed by teammate Sandeep Sharma. HT Photo/Vinayak Pande
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Randeep Miglani was another driver to have ditched the Gypsy in favour of a Grand Vitara. HT Photo/Vinayak Pande
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Sandeep Bhandari in his privately entered Toyota Land Cruiser Prado. HT Photo/Vinayak Pande
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Udaybhir Sidhu's Suzuki Grand Vitara gets bogged down in the sand is passed by Snehal Patel's Gypsy. HT Photo/Vinayak Pande
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KR Tanwar storms past watching spectators on the opening stage. HT Photo/Vinayak Pande
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