Thailand, April 27: Indonesian female rally driver Lody Francis Natasha claimed third place in the T2.1 class at the Thailand Rally Raid Championship (TRRC) 2026 Round 1, held on April 25-26 in Chachoengsao, Thailand, becoming the only female team in the competition.
Competing alongside Thai co-driver Nada Simarak, Lody navigated approximately 150 kilometres of special stages across two days, including a technical 8.85km opening stage and a challenging 133.47km second stage, finishing on the podium against experienced rally raid drivers from across the region.
“The TRRC is attended by top teams with extensive experience, especially those from Thailand who regularly compete year-round. Meanwhile, I only compete once a year, so this presents a unique challenge. Even though the distance is around 133 kilometers, for me, this is a short rally, so time is very limited. If I perform poorly or encounter problems, there’s no chance to improve the next day,” said Lody.
The result forms part of Lody’s preparation for the 2026 Asia Cross Country Rally (AXCR), the largest and most prestigious cross-country rally in Asia, which will cover approximately 2,000 kilometres from Pattaya to Phitsanulok in its 31st edition.
At AXCR 2025, Lody finished 11th in the T1D class and 19th overall out of 44 participants, making her the best performing women’s team in her category.
“I want to prove that women have a place in rally raids. This isn’t just about me, but about paving the way and giving more women the confidence to enter this world,” Lody said.
Since her debut in 2017 as one of Indonesia’s first female rally drivers, Lody has served as co-driver, team manager, and driver, returning to competition in 2023 with an all-women team as an independent privateer competing alongside factory teams.
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