Teenage sensation Amaan Ganatra and GPE sales manager Suhhel Yakub/ HANDOUT
Kenya’s teenage motorsport sensation Amaan Ganatra is heading into 2026 with the biggest backing of his career after landing a heavyweight four-brand sponsorship deal that firmly signals his arrival as one of the country’s brightest racing prospects.
The 17-year-old, already a history-maker on the international rallycross scene, will fly the flags of JCB GPE, Royal Enfield Kenya, Godrej and Chinese motorcycle manufacturer Kove across a demanding campaign that spans Kenya’s national autocross circuit and the Motorsport UK British Rallycross Championship.
The landmark partnership, rare for a driver of Ganatra’s age in Kenyan motorsport, comes just days before Sunday’s Auto X Plus Action showdown at Stoni Athi Resort, where the Mitsubishi Evo 9 driver is expected to mount a serious challenge in the 4WD category.
“JCB and Royal Enfield are precision brands built on performance and reliability, and that is exactly what Amaan delivers in motorsport,” said Ganatra Plant and Equipment Sales Manager Suhhel Yakub.
Ganatra heads into the new season carrying formidable momentum.
Navigated by Mudasar Chaudry, he stormed to the 2025 Shell Autocross Championship title in the 4WD Restricted category, capping a dominant campaign in front of a packed Stoni Athi crowd.
His rise, however, stretches far beyond local circuits.
In 2022, he became the first Kenyan to compete in the European Autocross Championship before rewriting history again at just 15 by becoming the first Kenyan to claim pole position in a qualifying heat of the British Rallycross Championship at Lydden Hill Circuit in England.
Now widely regarded as Kenya’s most decorated junior driver, Ganatra believes the corporate muscle behind him can propel his career to another level.
“This is the season I want to make a real statement. Last year, I proved I could compete at the front. This year I want to win consistently across all disciplines,” he said.
With an expanded national autocross calendar set to raise the stakes in 2026, Ganatra enters the season armed with momentum, pedigree and the kind of backing that could accelerate him from rising star to genuine motorsport force.
