Harbinder Singh Sethi
A Life Behind the Wheel and Beyond
In the dynamic and fiercely competitive world of South African motorsports, few names carry as much gravitas as Harbinder Singh Sethi. From an early age, Harbinder’s fascination with automobiles was palpable. The 1960s witnessed East Africa as the epicentre of rally driving, housing one of the most arduous events on the global motorsport calendar: the East African Safari Rally. Influenced by the legendary Joginder Singh, affectionately referred to as the ‘Flying Sikh of Kenya,’ Harbinder and his contemporaries understood that motorsports was not merely a pastime but an integral part of their essence.
Education in the Wild: Formative Years Behind the Wheel
At a mere 16 years old, Harbinder found himself in the driver’s seat—not of a race car, but rather at the helm of pick-up trucks and construction vehicles. As he joined his father’s construction enterprise amidst the rugged terrains of Southern Highlands, Tanzania, Harbinder discovered his arena within the challenging and muddied roads that wound around construction sites. This phase was not a mere adolescent rebellion; it was a pivotal period during which he honed his driving prowess and nurtured a profound affection for machinery and engineering.
From Construction Sites to Rally Circuits
Harbinder’s initial entry into formal rallying occurred in 1993 when he partook in competitions while driving an unassuming Galant. However, his performance was anything but ordinary; it captured the motorsport world’s attention, leading to more frequent participation. Exchanging the treacherous byways of Tanzania for the professional circuits of Kenya, Harbinder’s distinctive amalgamation of driving tactics, derived from his experiences on construction sites, propelled him to extraordinary achievements. He consistently clinched positions between 2nd and 3rd place in nearly all the rallies he participated in.
The Africa Rally Championship
Driven by an unquenchable thirst for expansion, Harbinder embraced the African Rally Championship (ARC) in 1994. Unwilling to settle for anything less than excellence, he acquired a Toyota GT 4, a vehicle renowned for its remarkable speed. His efforts bore fruit; by 1995, he earned the distinction of being the third-fastest driver in Africa in the prestigious Castrol Rally ARC. Harbinder and his team elevated the challenge by transporting their rally car and equipment from Kenya to South Africa, embodying the spirit of resilience and adventure.
Safary Rally
The Ascension, The Setback, and a Cherished Legacy
Harbinder’s journey reached its zenith at the infamously demanding Total Tara Rally in Namibia. While leading the rally, a catastrophic front right wheel failure resulted in a devastating accident that left him with severe injuries, including a nearly severed left arm. Although this marked the conclusion of his active rallying career, at the insistence of his family, his ardour for driving never dwindled.
Presently, Harbinder savours lengthy drives, with the journey from Johannesburg to Franschhoek being among his most cherished. While he no longer competes, his passion for the sport and his contributions to East African rallying remain a wellspring of inspiration for a new generation of drivers.
Harbinder Singh Sethi may have withdrawn from rally driving, but his enduring impact on the sport and his enduring affection for high-speed driving persist. Here’s to a life lived in the fast lane, always with a watchful eye on the road ahead.
Pique from the Past: Take a Dekko at the Man Himself!
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