Karan Patel showcased his dominance in the qualifying stage, setting the stage for a potential maiden Africa Rally Championship title. The series leader exhibited a strong start to the Africa Rally Championship campaign, securing victory in the qualifying stage with a remarkable 5.7-second lead over his close rival, Jas Mangat of Uganda, who secured the 2nd spot.
The ASAS Farm in Iringa provided the backdrop for the fast and dusty stages that will host the ASAS Rally of Tanzania, marking the final round of the ARC. Conditions are favourable for quick times, but the challenge lies in the fact that each of the two stages on the opening day will be run three times. Drivers will need to maintain sharp focus as the surface becomes looser and more rutted with each pass.
Yassin Nasser of MOIL Rally Team claimed the 3rd spot in the qualifying, with Tanzania’s Ahmed Huwel and Kenya’s Hamza Anwar finishing in 4th and 5th place, respectively.
Even with a hiatus since Rally Zambia, Karan and Tauseef demonstrated no signs of rustiness as their Ford Fiesta R5 hit the tracks again, shipped straight from Zambia to Dar-Es-Salaam for the Iringa event. Fans are eagerly anticipating the team’s strategy deployment as the title race remains tightly contested.
Jas Mangat from Uganda is expected to mount a strong challenge, aiming for his maiden ARC title, which necessitates a win in this event, coupled with Karan finishing outside the podium.
Speaking ahead of the opening day’s action, Karan Patel expressed confidence, stating, “Mentally, I don’t feel any pressure going into this race, but it would be nice to win this event overall and continue our winning streak.”
He added, “90 % of me wants to play it safe, but 10% of me wants to push for the win and give the fans a good show. We would like to make the team that works hard for us all year round proud, but we will weigh our options and see how much risk we can take to maintain the event lead without jeopardizing our championship chances.”
The first stage is set to flag off at 12:08 pm, with Karan Patel and Tauseef Khan choosing to be 3rd on the road after the qualifying session.
