After years racing individually, local divers have joined hands to set up a motorsport club, Times Sport has established.
The club, dubbed Rwanda Motor Sports Club, becomes the first motorsport team ever in the game’s history in Rwanda.
Rwanda Motor Sports Club, which is headquartered in Kimihurura, Gasabo District, was founded with an idea of creating one strong team able to produce drivers that can challenge not only on the local scene, but also in the region and beyond.
The club begins with 14 members, including eight star drivers in domestic rally championship.
They include Dismas Kayibanda, Jean Paul Majoro, Safari Gahizi, Jean Pierre Majoro, Jules Uwimana, Moses Mutabaruka and former national champion Giancarlo Davite.
Giancarlo Davite
Others are; Yannick De Walque, Hassan Bukuru, Paulo Paganini, Giesen Jean Jean, Alain Paul de Haguenan, Mitralos Elfter and Janvier Mutuga.
In an interview with Times Sport, Moses Mutabaruka, the club’s Chairman, said that the team will greatly contribute in unearthing new talents and securing more races outside the country.
"It would not be easy for a driver to individually organize a car competition, but we are confident that joining hands will help us organize as many competitions as possible instead of only relying on the federation’s races,” he said.
"We have cars ready for competitions and more are expected soon.”
"Drivers will now be training as a team so as to learn from one another. We want to be an active club and we will be getting in touch with clubs from other countries so we can participate in many international competitions,” he added.
Mutabaruka added that the club seeks to train new talents around whom the club can build the future of the game.
He added: "Some of the drivers in the current roster could retire in a few years. That is why we need to unearth, train and develop new talents that could follow in the footsteps of their seniors.
The club, Mutabaruka says, has enough motor racing cars for its drivers and is also in the process of acquiring Karting Motor sport that will be used in training and some competitions.
Soon after sports competitions are given green light to resume, tentatively next month, the club plans to organise a race to unveil its drivers. The date of the race is yet to be determined.