What started as a calm Saturday morning in the hills of Nyirangarama quickly turned into a thrilling day of speed, setbacks, and passion. The Nyirangarama Sprint Rally 2026 brought motorsport excitement to the heart of the Norther region of the country. With 10 cars on the starting line, drivers took off one by one in a race format combining endurance and precision in three opening laps, followed by longer circuit runs, and a final special stage designed to test both machine and mindset. ALSO READ: Motorsport: Nyirangarama rally back to Rulindo as new season begins After the early laps, Giancarlo Davite and co-driver Mateo Davite, in their Mitsubishi Evo, took control of the race, with Christian Kanangire close behind, keeping the pressure on. But the rally quickly proved unpredictable. Kanangire’s charge came to an abrupt end following a brake failure during the first 30km lap, forcing him to retire and reshuffling the leaderboard. Soon after, another setback saw Claude Kwizera and Ange Cyatangabo bow out due to engine failure. The retirements opened the door for Eric Gakwaya and co-driver Aurore Kayibanda, as well as reigning champion Queen Kalimpinya and Olivier Ngabo, to climb into podium contention. The final stages proved decisive, with only four cars managing to complete the race—a clear reflection of the rally’s demanding nature. Davite seals win According to official results, Giancarlo and Mateo Davite dominated the event, finishing first with a total time of 1:07:28 in their Mitsubishi Evo X. They were followed by Gakwaya and Kayibanda, who clocked 1:24:12 in a Subaru Impreza N10. Kalimpinya and Ngabo completed the podium in third place with a time of 1:35:52. Bryan Murengezi and Avy Miguel Mpano finished fourth, also posting 1:35:52, including a time penalty. For Davite, the victory was about more than just the result. “It’s a stage we hadn’t done in 10 years—it was beautiful. I really enjoyed it. The strategy was simple: attack from the start. These cars are made for that. You have to go fast, even when you think you should slow down.” Having competed internationally, Davite highlighted the uniqueness of racing on home soil: “Here, it’s home. You know the roads. It’s like being in your own garden.” A story of resilience For Kayibanda, finishing the race—and doing so on the podium—was already a personal triumph. Being named Best Female driver made it even more special. “I started rallying last year but didn’t finish my previous races. Today, finishing and coming second shows courage. I didn’t give up,” she said. Meanwhile, Kwizera, returning after 12 years away from the sport, remained optimistic despite his retirement. “The feeling came back—I really enjoyed it. Unfortunately, we had to stop because of engine damage. We’ll fix it and continue the season. I’m not discouraged.” A growing motorsport culture Race director Fernand Rutabingwa expressed satisfaction with the organisation of the event. “Everything went well without incidents or accidents. Despite some retirements, we are happy. With the support of our sponsors, we continue building the vision,” he said. Fans also embraced the spectacle, with motorsport enthusiast Jabo Divin Paraclet sharing mixed emotions: “It’s disappointing not to see top drivers finish, but it was exciting to witness new talent and the return of veterans like Claude and Ange. The atmosphere was amazing—rally is becoming part of Nyirangarama.” Despite multiple retirements, the Nyirangarama Sprint Rally 2026 delivered drama, intensity, and passion—clear signs of a sport steadily growing in Rwanda.
