2022 Year in review: Karan, McRae, Wahome highlight rallying performances

It is impossible to talk about the Kenyan rallying scene without speaking of the Safati Rally.

In 2022 the 'toughest rally' ran as one of the World Rally Championship (WRC) series for the second year since its return and it was one of the most watched events of the series both on social and mainstream media.

A report from the championship’s commercial rights holder, the WRC Promoter, indicated that the 2022 Safari out-performed last year’s edition by 5 million page impressions on Facebook. 

Loaded 2023 as Machakos rally gets KNRC season off

As 21-year-old Kalle Rovanpera romped to victory after 363.44km of battle in Naivasha, accomplishing what his father couldn't 20 years before, Kenyans had reason to celebrate as a Kenyan made history. 

Maxine Wahome (currently facing charges for allegedly assaulting her boyfriend Asad Khan who later passed on) became the first woman in history to win the WRC3.

She won by 25 minutes and 27s and placed 16th overall, one place behind former M-Sport Rally1 driver Gus Greensmith.

Maxine beat former BRDC British Formula 3 driver Jeremy Wahome to the title while McRae Kimathi sealed an all-Kenyan podium in the category, the third tier of WRC. 

This season, Kimathi became the first Kenyan to enter the FIA Junior WRC and only the fourth African driver to ever compete in the category. 

He also became the first Kenyan to rally on snow in Rally Sweden. He finished sixth overall in both the WRC Junior and WRC3 championships.

Only six of 12 WRC Rally1 cars completed the full rally distance in what proved to be the toughest event of the season by far. 

Kajetan Kajetanowicz scored a career-best result to win the WRC2 on Safari and move top of the championship standings, competing in Africa for the first time. 

Karan relishing snow-driving experience after pre-season with Toyota Gazoo

On the continental front Karan Patel lost the African Rally Championship (ARC) title on the homestretch to Zambian Leroy Gomes, settling for second place.  

His bid for the title, despite winning four of the six legs, was hampered by his retirement at the Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally and missing the season-opening Bandama Rallye of Côte d'Ivoire.

Kimathi managed a podium during the ARC season-closer in Lusaka, the result winning him the ARC3 title whilst Hamza Anwar's fourth place saw him win the ARC Junior title.  

Locally, Karan and his younger sibling Kush Patel dominated their races as Karan bagged the overall Kenya National Rally Championship (KNRC) title. He also won the Division 1 class as Kush won group S and Division 2. 

Another season double was accomplished by Leonardo Varese who sealed his Championship number six in the Two Wheel Drive category- over and above- his Division 3 championship success. 

 Varese finished fourth on the KNRC overall log piloting an underpowered 1600cc 2WD Toyota Auris behind Karan, Jasmeet Chana (eventual Group N Champion) and Kush.

 After sealing the KNRC title, the motocross convert spent three days in Finland with Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT in their championship celebration and pre-season test where he impressed winter instructors.

KNRC WINNERS

KMSC Il-Bisil: Karan Patel

RVMSC Nakuru: Karan Patel

ARC Equator: Karan Patel

EASR Eldoret: Karan Patel 

Safari KNRC: Carl "Flash' Tundo

NRG Nanyuki: Karan Patel

MMC Bamba Rally: Raaji Singh Bharij

RSC Machakos: Karan Patel 

SUC Guru Nanak: Karan Patel 

FIA ARC WINNERS

Rallye Bandama Ivory Coast: Leroy Gomes (Zambia)

Equator Kenya: Karan Patel (Kenya)

Rally Tanzania: Karan Patel 

Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally :Jas Mangat (UG)

Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally: Karan Patel (Kenya)

Zambia International Rally: Karan Patel 

WRC SAFARI RALLY KENYA WINNERS 

WRC3 : Maxine Wahome (Kenya)

WRC2 : Kajetan Kajetanowicz (Poland))

WRC Overall: Kalle Rovanoera (Finland)

MINI CLASSIC

Remon Vos (The Netherlands)

AUTOCROSS CHAMPION'S

2WD NT car: Sameer Nanji

2WD NT Buggy-Gurraj Singh

4WD T-Eric Bengi 

Junior 2WD NT-Neel Gohil 

2WD T-Qahim Rahim 

Bamboo -Karamveer S. Rooprai 

KENYAN KARTING CHAMPIONS

Bambino Comer - Bixente Rio Wyles

Cadet-Shane Chandaria

Rotax Mini Max-No Winner 

Rotax Junior Max-Walt Alobo 

Rotax Senior Max-No winner

KNRC CHAMPIONS

Overall-Karan Patel

Division 1-Karan Patel

Division 2-Kush Patel

Division 3-Leonardo Varese

2WD-Leonardo Varese

Group S-Kush Patel

Group NR4-Jasmeet Chana

Classic- No winner

SPV-No Winner 

FIA ARC STANDINGS (TOP 10)

1. Leroy Gomes (ZAM) 150

2. Karan Patel (KEN) 135

3. Hamza Anwar (KEN) 74

KNRC STANDINGS 

1. Karan Patel 233

2. Jasmeet Chana 228

3. Kush Patel 101