Karan Patel and his navigator, Tauseef Khan, test their Skoda Fabia Rally3 car at Stoni
Athi, Machakos County/ HANDOUT
Two-time African Rally champion Karan Patel says consistency will be the cornerstone of his bid for a third consecutive victory in the 2026 FIA African Rally Championship (ARC) at the Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally, which roars into action on Friday.
The 2026 FIA ARC season burst into life in March at the WRC Safari Rally before shifting to Uganda for the second round from May 7–10.
The Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally marks the third stop on the championship calendar, with the season set to conclude at the Tanzania Mkwawa Rally from October 2–4. A total of 19 crews from across Africa have confirmed their participation in the Rwanda showdown.
Patel, who will once again be guided by his long-time co-driver Tauseef Khan, heads into the event atop the ARC standings with 83 points, on course for his third continental title.
Last year's ARC runner-up Samman Vohra sits second on 66 points, while Aakif Virani occupies third place with 60 points.
Speaking ahead of the Rwanda Rally, Patel said the team has built strong momentum through the championship's opening rounds.
"We have had good momentum this season, and the team has worked hard to prepare the car for Rwanda," Patel said.
He stressed that maintaining consistency throughout the demanding stages will be crucial to extending his championship lead.
"The goal is to stay consistent, manage the stages well and fight for maximum points," he said.
Patel has been in a class of his own through the opening two rounds of the continental series.
He fired an early warning shot in his quest for a third African title by dominating the season-opening WRC Safari Rally in March, charging to victory in 4:26:54.6.
He finished comfortably ahead of Aakif Virani (4:43:06.7) in second, while last year's ARC runner-up Samman Vohra completed an all-Kenyan podium sweep in 4:46:47.1.
Patel then tightened his grip on the 2026 ARC standings with another commanding drive at the Uganda Rally, stopping the clock in 2:03:06.
He once again got the better of Vohra, who settled for second in 2:04:44, while defending African champion Yasin Nasser of Uganda completed the podium in 2:08:59.
Despite his blistering start to the season, Patel remains wary of the challenge that awaits him in Rwanda. "We know the competition will be tough, but we're ready for the challenge," he added.
Patel returns to a rally where he has enjoyed remarkable success, having previously strung together three consecutive victories.
He claimed his maiden Rwanda title in 2022, clocking 1:19:40.3 to beat Zambia's Leroy Gomes (1:19:53.5), with compatriot Hamza Anwar completing the podium in 1:21:21.8. He successfully defended the crown in 2023 after setting a winning time of 1:20:16.5, narrowly fending off Uganda's Jas Mangat (1:20:33.2), while Anwar finished third in 1:25:46.5.
Patel then completed a memorable hat-trick in 2024, producing a lights-to-flag masterclass in his Skoda Fabia R5 to triumph in 1:37:47.7.
Uganda's Michael Mukula and Edward Kiyingi finished second in 1:50:21.1, as Kenya's paraplegic ace Nikhil Sachania and co-driver Deep Patel rounded off the podium in their Ford Fiesta with a time of 1:55:36.3. However, Patel's bid for a fourth straight Rwanda crown ended in heartbreak during last year's edition when he crashed into a tree on Stage Three, forcing an early retirement and bringing his remarkable winning streak in the event to an abrupt halt.
