2017 FIA/African Rally Championship

Ivory Coast: Rallye Bandama / Feb. 10 - 12: FinishedKenya: Safari Rally | Mar, 18-19: Round 2South Africa: Sasol Rally South Africa | Apr. 28-29: Round 3Uganda: Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally | Jun. 30-Jul. 2: Round 4Tanzania: Rally of Tanzania | Aug. 4-6: Round 5Rwanda: Rwanda Mt. Gorilla Rally | Sept. 8 -10: Round 6Zambia: Zambia International Rally / Oct. 21-22: Round 7

FIA Africa Rally Championship has made changes in point scoring system for the drivers in all the seven rounds of the continental championship in the 2017 season.

The new changes in the point scoring system imply that all drivers must finish in the top ten positions in any of the ARC events to be able to score any points in the race to win the title.

According to the Federation Internationale de Automobile /Confederation of African Countries Motorsport (CACMS) meeting held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, this month, the changes are aimed at strengthening the sport and make it more competitive.

Previously, drivers would not mind finishing last in an event; because they were just required to finish the race to score points making it easy for the crews to accumulate points and at the end of the season, the one with the highest tally, would be crowned a champion.

CACMS believes the changes will improve the competition. The point system started with Rallye Bandama which flagged off this year’s continental ARC calendar in Ivory Coast last weekend.

In the meantime, the 2017 ARC registration for drivers is still open and set to close in April and the motorsport body has waived entry fees. The intention is to regain the lost pride besides growing the sport in as many African countries as possible.

For the past three years, ARC has been attracting few competitors—the number of registered drivers challenging for the continental crown hasn’t been exceeding six, and part of the reason put forward by drivers, was higher entry fees and travel costs.

CACAMS has emphasized that the crews are required to register on time if they’re to score points—initially, each crew would be required to pay 240 Euros to participate in the ARC events.

Reacting to the new scoring system, Rwanda rally female navigator Sylvia Vindevogel told Time Sport, that, "It’s a bit too late for CACMS to try to get drivers back….. They push people out and after realizing their mistakes; they are now trying all possible ways to get drivers back.”

Vindevogel, who navigates for rally driver Giancarlo Davite of ‘Gianca Rally Team’, confirmed that they will not race in this year’s Africa Rally Championship, which leaves Rwanda without a representative this season.

Meanwhile, the second round on the ARC calendar heads to Kenya for the Safari Rally, from March 17-19, with the Singh family determined to take back the African title to Zambia, after Jassy joining his brother Muna Singh Jr. on the list of contenders.

The Singh brothers will battle it out with Leroy Gomes/ Urshlla Gomes (Zambia) and Ugandan, Yasin Nasser.

Former Rwandan driver, who switched to Ugandan license; Christakis Fitidis also registered for this year’s ARC. Fitidis and his Rwandan co-driver Eric Nzamwita will be racing in their Mitsubishi Evo X.

The first Rallye Bandama was won by Ivorian Soumahoro Monfere, who finished ahead of his compatriots Abondio Maxime and Malherbe Loic, who came in second and third place respectively.

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