Kenya’s Karan Patel and co-driver Tauseef Khan secured victory in the FIA African Rally Championship with a podium finish in Iringa, Tanzania on Sunday.
Patel and his co-driver Khan make history as the first Kenyan pair to accomplish this feat in a Ford after Zambia’s Leroy Gomes claimed last year’s championship.
Patel, a Red Bull athlete, joins the ranks of Kenyan champions, after Shekhar Mehta in 1981, David Horsey in 1984, Jaspreet Singh Chatthe in 2015, Don Smith in 2016, Manvir Baryan in 2017, 2019, and Carl Tundo in 2021.
Meanwhile, Khan secures his place as the sixth Kenyan navigator champion, following in the footsteps of Dave Williamson, Mike Doughty, Surinder Thatthi, Bob Kaugi, and Tim Jessop.
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Securing victories in Rwanda, Kenya (Equator), Burundi and Zambia on their journey to the title.
The Kenyan duo skipped the Bandama Rallye and Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally, making a comeback to clinch the crown.
Despite starting with a nine-point lead over Mangat in the championship finale, Patel and Khan, after winning the qualifying stage in high spirits, adopted a calculated approach to safeguard their position.
When Mangat claimed his first victory of the season, the Kenyan crew needed a podium finish to strengthen their grasp on the championship.
Hamza Anwar, a young talent, secured a double win in both the ARC Junior and ARC2 categories, finishing in third place overall.
Since its inception in 1981, the ARC has consistently presented captivating visuals, with rallies unfolding against the backdrop of stunning landscapes.
The ARC has experienced a resurgence, gaining momentum and significance especially with the return of Kenya’s Safari Rally to the FIA World Rally Championship in 2021.
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This growth comes after two years of disruption caused by COVID-19.
The 2023 season featured a seven-round calendar traversing seven countries.The 2024 ARC season will resume early next year with the iconic Rallye Bandana Rally of Ivory coast
