Aishwarya Pissay Becomes First Asian Woman to Compete in FIM Rall

• Aishwarya Pissay, who races for TVS Racing, is the first Asian woman to take part in the FIM Cross Country Rallies World Championship (W2RC)
• This event is an important training highlight as preparation for the Dakar Rally

TVS Racing's Aishwarya Pissay becomes the first Asian woman to race in the FIM Cross Country Rallies World Championship (W2RC) of the BP Ultimate Rally-Raid Portugal 2025, a major training milestone to become eligible for the Dakar Rally.

The fourth-round W2RC rally ending on 28 September, 2025, covers a distance of 2,000 km with five stages and a prologue, all on gravel and dirt roads across the Alentejo and Ribatejo regions of Portugal and Spain's Extremadura, says a company press release.

Aishwarya's trip to Portugal begins the process of her training and preparation for the Rally of Morocco, an important qualifier for the Dakar.

Aishwarya hopes to set the record for being the first Indian female to compete in the Dakar Rally in 2026, and she also sees it as a wonderful way to encourage women riders across all of India to get out onto the racetrack and chase some of their largest dreams and ambitions.

"I am working towards Dakar Rally in 2026 now, and breaking barriers pushing limits and making India proud on an international level, and I hope this inspires women racers around the world's racing women to believe in themselves and chase their dreams," Aishwarya commented.

TVS Racing, India first factory rally team, has been supporting top motorsport in India since 1982, and has supported over 3,000 professional racers in its 41-year history.

In 2016, TVS Racing announced the world's first all-female factory racing team, marking its seriousness on enabling women riders and nurturing talent to fight it out at the world level, opening the way for champions like Aishwarya.