Karan Patel (R) and Tauseef Khan/ FILE
Two-time African Rally champion Karan Patel and his navigator Tauseef Khan are just one rally away from sealing a historic hat-trick of continental titles after an utterly dominant 2026 African Rally Championship (ARC) campaign.
Patel has remained unbeaten through the opening three rounds of this year's continental series, underlining his status as the man to beat.
The Kenyan speed merchant now tops the ARC standings with 118 points, opening up a commanding lead over compatriots Aakif Virani (85 points) and Jasmeet Chana (67 points), who sit second and third, respectively.
Patel launched his 2026 title assault emphatically at the opening round, the WRC Safari Rally, held from March 12-15, where he powered to victory with a cumulative time of 4:26:54.6.
The Kenyan ace tightened his grip on the championship at the Uganda Rally, staged from May 7-10, producing another commanding drive to stop the clock in 2:03:06.
In the third round of the continental championship, the Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally last weekend, Patel was once again in imperious form, charging to victory in 2:13:18.6. Tanzania's Ahmed Huwel (2:20:48.5) finished second, as Virani (2:25:52.4) was third.
Patel said the Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally proved another successful outing for both him and his co-driver. "We had a successful event, and we were able to secure the title."
He revealed that building a sizeable advantage on Saturday proved decisive, allowing the duo to manage Sunday's stages with confidence.
"It has been an incredible weekend. On Saturday, we had a big push and went into Sunday with a good cushion and comfortable lead," he said.
The latest triumph marked a fourth victory for the Patel-Khan partnership at the Rwandan event. Patel first conquered the Rwanda Rally in 2022, clocking 1:19:40.3 to edge Zambia's Leroy Gomes (1:19:53.5), while compatriot Hamza Anwar completed the podium in 1:21:21.8.
He successfully defended the crown in 2023 after posting a winning time of 1:20:16.5, narrowly holding off Uganda's Jas Mangat (1:20:33.2), with Anwar once again finishing third in 1:25:46.5.
Patel completed a memorable hat-trick in 2024, delivering a lights-to-flag masterclass aboard his Skoda Fabia R5 to claim victory in 1:37:47.7.
Uganda's Michael Mukula and Edward Kiyingi finished second in 1:50:21.1, while Kenya's paraplegic ace Nikhil Sachania secured third in 1:55:36.3. Last year, however, Patel's bid for a fourth consecutive Rwanda crown ended in heartbreak after crashing into a tree on Stage Three, forcing an early retirement and bringing his remarkable winning streak at the event to an abrupt end.
Following his return to the top step of the podium, Patel paid tribute to the people behind the team's latest success.
"I thank my family and my team for their tireless efforts, as well as my co-driver and our sponsor, KCB, for continuously supporting us."
Co-driver Tauseef Khan also reflected on the significance of securing a fourth Rwanda Rally title. "We have flown the Kenyan flag high four times now in Rwanda, and what an experience and honour it has been," he said.
The duo have already switched their focus to the championship-deciding finale in Tanzania, with Khan confident they will complete the job. "Thank you, Rwanda, we are definitely going to be back for more. Off now to Tanzania, where we seal the deal."
The final round of the 2026 African Rally Championship is scheduled for October 2-4 in Tanzania.
With the substantial lead, Patel is the favourite to add a third crown to his name after previous triumphs in 2023 (144 points) and 2024 (140 points).
