Kenyan rally driver Karan Patel clinched the coveted title of the 2023 Africa Rally Championship (ARC) winner on Sunday, securing the championship after finishing second at the Rally of Tanzania.
Patel, who is the reigning Kenyan motorsport athlete of the year and the 2022 Kenya National Rally Champion, achieved his maiden continental title.
Notably, Patel and his navigator, Tauseef Khan, became the first Kenyan pair to accomplish this feat in a Ford, marking the marque’s second title after Zambia’s Leroy Gomes in the previous season.
The dynamic duo’s strategic and well-driven race at the season-closing ASAS Rally of Tanzania propelled them to second place, securing the championship.
The victory adds Patel to the esteemed list of Kenyan drivers who have claimed the ARC title, including trailblazers like Shekhar Mehta, David Horsey, and Carl Tundo.
Karan Patel, also a Red Bull athlete, demonstrated a calm and assured approach during the race, showcasing their prowess on the Sao Hill Mafinga podium in Iringa. Their achievement was met with a solid stream of joy at the prize-giving ceremony.
Tauseef Khan, Patel’s navigator, made history as the fifth Kenyan navigator champion, joining the ranks of Mike Doughty, Surinder Thatthi, Bob Kaugi, and Tim Jessop.
Throughout the ARC season, Patel and Khan secured victories in Rwanda, Kenya (Equator), Burundi, and Zambia. Their strategic decision to skip the Bandama Rallye and Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally meant they had to play catch-up to regain the coveted title they lost to Zambia’s Gomes in the previous season.
Arriving in Iringa, Tanzania, with a nine-point advantage over Uganda’s Mangat, Patel and Khan executed a well-calculated strategy to safeguard their championship.
Regardless of finishing second behind Uganda’s Jas Mangat in the Rally of Tanzania, Patel’s consistent performance throughout the season secured his position as the 2023 ARC champion. In addition to Patel’s victory, youngster Hamza Anwar claimed the ARC2 category title, finishing third overall.
The 2023 ARC season, featuring seven rounds across seven countries, further solidified the championship’s significance in the rallying world.
Following Kenya’s return to the FIA World Rally Championship in 2021, the ARC continues to grow, promising even more thrilling rallies in the upcoming 2024 season.
The 2024 ARC season is set to resume early next year with the Rallye Bandana Rally of Ivory Coast. The Africa Rally Championship, since its launch in 1981, has consistently delivered spectacular rallying experiences against the backdrop of stunning landscapes.
The list of past winners includes legendary names such as Shekhar Mehta, David Horsey, and Leroy Gomes, with Karan Patel and Tauseef Khan etching their names into this illustrious history with their 2023 victory.
