ARC Rally 2025: Karan Patel Bags Pearl Of Africa Showdown In Mbarara

_{Karan Patel  (Right) and navigator Tauseef Khan being crowned the 2025 Pearl of Africa Rally champions in the second leg of the  2025 African Rally Championship held Mbarara, Uganda at the weekend. PHOTO/Rob Styles Nkolo}

MBARARA, Uganda- Double Africa champion Karan Patel cruised to victory in the second leg of the 2025 FIA African Rally Championship (ARC), held in Mbarara, Uganda at the weekend.

Dubbed the ‘Pearl of Africa Rally’, Patel, navigated by Tauseef Khan in a Škoda Fabia R5, clocked 1:51:18.9 to beat his closest challenger and home boy Yasin Nasser of Uganda by a whopping 11 minutes and 22.7 seconds to the finish line.

Nasser and his compatriot Ali Katumba settled for second position behind the wheel of a Ford Fiesta Rally2 in 2:02:41.6.

Kenyan paraplegic driver Nikhil Sachania sealed the podium finish in a Ford Fiesta Rally3 after he clocked 2:07:48.4.

The third-place finish was fulfilling for the 2014 Kenya Motorsport Personality of the Year winner (Sachania) given that Nasser’s Fiesta Rally2 is a far more superior contraption than the Rally3 than the Kenyan was spearheading.

Sachania is enjoying top form at the present after winning the WRC3 and ARC3 titles at the third leg of the World Rally Championship, the Safari Rally, held in Naivasha in March.

Meanwhile, Kenyan speedster Patel had started the Pearl of Africa contest on a sour note on Day 1 on Friday where his compatriot and Kenyan champion Samman Vohra saw the loophole and capitalized on Patel’s laxity to finish the overnight leader.

However, Vohra’s fairy tale run ended at the 23.28km Kaguta Stage 6 rough terrains where he developed mechanical trouble.

Vohra hit a jump, damaging his suspension arm which sent his Škoda Rally 2 into a limp, forcing him to exit the championship.

His Did Not Finish status favoured Patel who is now gunning for a third continental gong after nestling the 2025 Pearl of Africa trophy.

While savoring his second win on Ugandan soil, Patel highlighted: “We had a challenging rally, tackling a few issues here and there on the punishing stages, but I’m glad with the turn out. The massive crowd was the motivating factor behind this victory.”

Another Kenyan driver, Mike Mukula also noted this about the Ugandan outing: ” The race was fine. It was good. We finished safely, which is the most important thing. We cruised effectively, bringing the car home in open piece.”

He further added: ” During the rally, we noted that Uganda is very beautiful and this was magnificent on the stages cruised. From the flora and fauna, we whizzed past, we saw zebras, water bucks, antelopes among other animals of sort. We met so many of them on the way.”

Ugandan driver Odion Tumwebaze noted that the competition was full of fun despite it being marred with heavy rains and slippery surfaces.

President of the Federation of Motorsports Club of Ugandan hailed the event in Mbarara saying that staging the championship away from the capital Kampala was one way of the best ways to a

” It was a good event. We thank our team in Mbarara for being up to the task. The plot is to develop the game in all corners of Uganda and I’m happy that all this is happening,” Akena noted.

Hotelier Mwesigwa Rukaari said the event boomed Mbarara’s economy as the hospitality industry made a kill from the championship.

“Hotels in Mbarara and beyond were fully booked by the visiting spectators. The drivers also gave us a show to remember. This can only mean that our motorsports industry is growing in the right direction” Rukaari said.

The 2025 FIA ARC Pearl Of Africa Rally selected results

1.      Karan Patel 1:51:18.9

2.      Yasin Nasser (Uganda) 2:02:4.6

3.      Kikhil Sachania 2:07:48.3

4.      Aine Sodo (Uganda) 2:20:24.4