By GPC Sports Reporter
Kenyan driver Karan Patel and navigator Tauseef Khan have been crowned the 2026 FIA African Rally Championship (ARC) drivers’ and navigators’ champions respectively.
The 2022 Kenyan champions and KCB Racing Team crew secured their third continental titles at the ongoing ARC Serengeti Rally of Tanzania after their only remaining title rivals, compatriots Aakif Virani and Zahir Shah, withdrew from the ARC season finale.
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In a statement issued last night, Virani’s Arrow Racing Team said it had taken a strategic decision to consolidate its second position in the overall African Rally Championship standings and would therefore not contest the final round in Morogoro, Tanzania.
“It is with deep regret we announce our withdrawal from the ARC final round in Morogoro, Tanzania. After a hard-fought season, Arrow Racing Team (Aakif Virani and Zahir Shah) has taken the strategic decision to consolidate 2nd position in the overall African Rally Championship standings,” the team said.
The team added:
“Congratulations to Karan Patel and Tauseef Khan on becoming the 2026 African Rally Champions.”
Virani’s withdrawal hands Patel and Tauseef an unassailable lead heading into the final two days of competition on Saturday and Sunday.
The championship was already effectively within Patel’s grasp, as he only needed to finish the Tanzanian round to secure the title. However, Virani’s decision confirms Patel and Khan as champions before the first competitive day of the season finale.
The title is Patel’s third ARC crown, making him only the fourth driver in the 45-year history of the FIA African Rally Championship to win three or more titles.
Patel joins an elite group headed by Zambian legend Satwant Singh, who has won eight continental titles. The list also includes Ivory Coast’s Alain Ambrosino and fellow Kenyan Manvir Baryan, both of whom have won three titles.
Patel wins Mkwawa qualifying stage
Patel and Tauseef had earlier underlined their intentions by winning the 2.40km SS00 Mkwawa Qualifying Stage in Morogoro on Friday.
The Kenyan crew clocked 1:58.1 in their Škoda Fabia to beat Tanzania champion Ahmed Huwel, driving a Toyota Yaris GR Rally2, by 0.6 seconds.
Huwel finished in 1:58.7, while Manveer Birdi was third in 1:59.8 in another Škoda Fabia Evo.
Under ARC regulations, the winner of the qualifying stage is allowed to choose his starting position for the rally proper.
Patel opted to start fifth on the road at 09:12, directly behind Huwel, who will start fourth.
The Day One starting order on Saturday will be led by Uganda’s Oscar Ntambi at 09:00, followed by 2025 champion Yasin Nasser at 09:03 and Manveer Birdi at 09:06.
Virani is assured of finishing second in the 2026 ARC standings regardless of the results this weekend.
He will also retain the ARC Masters title, which is awarded to competitors aged over 50, after securing it at the penultimate round in Rwanda.
Meanwhile, Uganda’s Ntambi claimed the ARC2 title without turning a wheel after his Rwandan rival Christian Kanangire failed to enter the season-ending rally in Morogoro.
The Serengeti Rally, running from October 2 to 4, is the final round of the 2026 African Rally Championship.
The rally proper starts on Saturday in the Morogoro region, with crews facing a demanding test of endurance before the championship concludes on Sunday.
SS00 Mkwawa Qualifying Stage – Friday
- Karan Patel / Tauseef Khan — Kenya, Škoda Fabia — 1:58.1
- Ahmed Huwel / Roheet Solanki — Tanzania, Toyota Yaris GR Rally2 — 1:58.7 (+0.6)
- Manveer Birdi / Zubayr Piredina — Tanzania, Škoda Fabia Evo — 1:59.8 (+1.7)
FIA African Rally Championship champions
- 1981 — Kenya, Shekhar Mehta, Nissan
- 1982 — West Germany, Walter Röhrl, Opel
- 1983 — Ivory Coast, Alain Ambrosino, Peugeot
- 1984 — Kenya, David Horsey, Peugeot
- 1985 — Rwanda, Luc Requile, Opel/Mitsubishi
- 1986 — Ivory Coast, Alain Ambrosino, Nissan
- 1987 — Ivory Coast, Alain Ambrosino, Nissan
- 1988 — Zambia, Satwant Singh, Toyota
- 1989 — Zambia, Satwant Singh, Volkswagen
- 1990 — Burundi, Walter Costa, Peugeot
- 1991 — Zambia, Satwant Singh, Toyota
- 1992 — Italy, Aldo Riva, Audi
- 1993 — Zambia, Satwant Singh, Toyota
- 1994 — Zimbabwe, Abe Smit, Audi
- 1995 — Namibia, Fritz Flachberger, Ford
- 1996 — Zambia, Satwant Singh, Subaru
- 1997 — Zambia, Satwant Singh, Subaru
- 1998 — Zambia, Satwant Singh, Subaru
- 1999 — Uganda, Charles Muhangi, Subaru
- 2000 — Zambia, Satwant Singh, Subaru
- 2001 — South Africa, Schalk Burger, Subaru
- 2002 — South Africa, John Gemmel, Subaru
- 2003 — Spain, Fernando Rueda, Mitsubishi
- 2004 — Zambia, Muna Singh, Subaru
- 2005 — Zambia, Muna Singh, Subaru
- 2006 — Belgium, Patrick Emontspool, Subaru
- 2007 — Zimbabwe, Conrad Rautenbach, Subaru
- 2008 — Japan, Hideaki Miyoshi, Mitsubishi
- 2009 — Zimbabwe, James Whyte, Subaru
- 2010 — Zimbabwe, James Whyte, Subaru
- 2011 — Zimbabwe, Conrad Rautenbach, Subaru
- 2012 — Zambia, Mohamed Essa, Subaru
- 2013 — Zambia, Jassy Singh, Subaru
- 2014 — Ivory Coast, Gary Chaynes, Mitsubishi
- 2015 — Kenya, Jaspreet Singh Chatthe, Mitsubishi
- 2016 — Kenya, Don Smith, Subaru
- 2017 — Kenya, Manvir Baryan, Škoda
- 2018 — Kenya, Manvir Baryan, Škoda
- 2019 — Kenya, Manvir Baryan, Škoda
- 2020 — Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
- 2021 — Kenya, Carl “Flash” Tundo, Volkswagen Polo
- 2022 — Zambia, Leeroy Gomes, Ford
- 2023 — Kenya, Karan Patel, Ford
- 2024 — Kenya, Karan Patel, Škoda
- 2025 — Tanzania, Yasin Nasser, Ford
- 2026 — Kenya, Karan Patel, Škoda
