Karan Patel headlines ARC Equator Rally set for Voi

Kenya's 2022 Motorsport Personality of the Year, and reigning Kenya National Rally (KNRC) Drivers champion Karan Patel will pilot a Ford Fiesta Rally 2 at this year's Equator Rally leg.

Preparations for the Voi event are at an advanced stage with a total of twenty cars listed for the Africa Rally Championship (ARC) event which will revolve around the vast Taita Taveta County on 17 to 19 March. 

Former KNRC champion Baldev Chager will be among the star attractions in a Subaru N12.

Aakif Virani will make a comeback behind the wheel of a Skoda Fabia Rally2.

Coast drivers entered for the event are Izhar Mirza of Coast Pekee team and Kilifi based Piero Canobbio who has entered a Hyundai i20 Rally 2.

Jasmeet Chana who finished second at last year's KNRC series will be back in Voi for the continental event.

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Foreign crews listed for the event are Yasser Nasser/Ali Kattumba (Ford Fiesta), Jas Mangat/Joseph Kamya (Mitsubishi Lancer EvoX) from Uganda and Gurjit Dhanji/Manmeet Birdi (Subaru) from Tanzania.

Uganda's representatives Mangat and Nasser were flagged off for the trip to Kenya by the National Council of Sport together with Federation of Motorsport Clubs of Uganda (FMU). 

While briefing the media in Kampala, NCS Assistant Secretary - Technical, acknowledged the crews' passion and input into the "man and machine" sport, and promised that the Government of Uganda will explore ways and means of extending its support towards their course.

The Equator Rally will count towards the second round of the 2023 FIA ARC.

This follows Ivory Coast's Rallye Bandama which was won by home driver Gary Chaynes. Chaynes will be among the notable absentees in the Kenyan round of the continental series.

Stages for the event will be centered on the expansive Taita Sisal Estate in Mwatate with a two-day total transport distance of 421.08 km and a Competitive mileage of approximately 205.25kms. 

The event will feature two legs with a total of 10 competitive stages.

 ARC EQUATOR RALLY ENTRY LIST

1. Karan Patel/Tauseef Khan (Ford Fiesta), 

2. Akhif Virani/Azar Bhakti (Skoda Fabia), 

3. Baldev Chager/Gareth Dawe (Subaru Impreza N12)

4. Raaji Bharij/TBA (Ford Escort MK2)

5. Izhar Mirza/Kavit Dave (Mitsubishi Lancer EvoX)

6. Jasmeet Chana/Ravi Chana (Mitsubishi Evolution10)

7. Piero Cannobio/TBA (Hyundai 120)

8. Yassin Nasser/Joseph Kamya (Ford Fiesta)

9. Hamza Anwar/Adnan Din (Ford Fiesta)

10. McRea Kimathi/Shameer Yusuf (Ford Fiesta)

11. Nikhil Sachania/Deep Patel (Mitsubishi Lancer EvoX)

12. Nzoika Waita/Tuta Mionki (Mitsubishi Lancer EvoX)

13. Jeremaih Wahome/Victor Okundi (Ford Fiesta)

14. Rio Smith/Riyaz Ismail (Ford Fiesta), 

15. Kush Patel/Mudasar Chaudry (Subaru Impreza)

16. Ian Duncan/Jaspal Matharu (TBA), 

17. Gurjit Dhabi/Manmeet Birdi (Subaru)

18. Jas Mangat/Joseph Kamya (Mitsubishi Lancer EvoX)

19. Asad Anwar/TBA (TBA)

20. Anthony Nielsen/William Bass (Mitsubishi Lancer EvoX)