Kenyan rally star Karan Patel put on a masterclass of precision driving, executing a dominant performance to win Mountain gorillas Rally for the fourth time. From the very first leg, Patel and his team set the pace early on, winning a staggering 10 out of 12 stages on Saturday to establish a massive buffer. The Rwandan rally, which serves as third round of the FIA African Rally Championship (ARC), delivered a thrilling showcase of speed, grueling endurance, and high-stakes drama across the dry and demanding Rwandan terrain. Sunday's victory was Patel's fourth, having won it in 2022, 2023 and 2024. He lost the 2025 edition following an early withdrawal due to mechanical issues. Reflecting on the victory, Patel expressed his profound affection for the event. This race is special for us. We love Rwanda; we love coming here, Patel noted, celebrating another consecutive victory on Rwandan soil. It was a good competition with a lot of good drivers and good cars. It wasn't easy, but we pushed the team, kept it safe, and did what we came to do in Africa. While Patel controlled the front, a fierce battle erupted for the remaining podium spots. Tanzania's Ahmed Huwel (Toyota Yaris GR) fought tooth and nail to secure second place overall, consistently fending off a ferocious charge from compatriot Manveer Birdi. Birdi (Skoda Fabia R5) turned up the pressure late in the rally, winning Stage 15 to slice the gap to Huwel down to a mere 7.8 seconds heading into the final loop. However, motorsport can be cruel; Birdi’s brilliant charge came to a sudden and heartbreaking end due to a terminal gearbox failure, forcing his retirement. Birdi’s exit cleared the path for Ahmed Huwel to comfortably seal the second-place spot overall. Kenya’s Aakif Virani (Skoda Fabia R5) capitalized on the late drama, climbing up the order to secure a fantastic third-place finish overall and claiming the top spot in the ARC Master category. Kanangire triumphs in ARC2 For the host nation, the biggest celebration belonged to Christian Kanangire and his co-driver Kevi Mujiji. Behind the wheel of their Subaru Impreza, the duo drove an inspired race to win the ARC2 category and secure an impressive 7th place finish overall. I thank God for giving me this victory. It's a really pleasant surprise, a jubilant Kanangire shared, having surged from third in the category up to the top step of the podium. Despite facing heavily upgraded and far more powerful machinery, Kanangire chose to attack. The only choice was to push forward, accelerate, and see what happened next. At one point, after building an 11-minute gap to second place, I slowed down to manage the car and finish strong. Looking ahead, Kanangire hinted at stepping up his game: This is encouraging. I hope that soon we might be able to welcome a new, much more powerful car to try the main ARC category. Mwonge shines as top female Uganda’s Lady Susan Mwonge, alongside navigator Musa Nsubuga, put on a resilient performance in their Subaru Impreza to take home the honors for the best female category, finishing 9th overall. This marked a monumental milestone for Mwonge, being her debut international rally outside of Uganda. Mwonge praised the extraordinary organization and strict safety measures implemented by the Rwanda Automobile Club (RAC). I’ve never seen a rally event as safe as this one. At the critical points, you’ll never find spectators. When you're on the road, it's completely clear, she said. Mwonge also spoke passionately about her mission to inspire more women to join motorsport. As a lady, I always strive and I don't give up easily. I try to inspire women to come aboard. If they're not behind the wheel, they can participate as officials or in logistics. I want to leave a legacy behind. 2027 will be even better Christian Gakwaya, the President of the Rwanda Automobile Club (RAC), hailed the 2026 edition as a milestone success for regional motorsport, noting that over 35 crews successfully entered the competition. He extended gratitude to the drivers, sponsors, and the Rwandan government for making the event possible. Gakwaya officially confirmed that the rally will return next year in July during the favorable dry season and issued a bold challenge to the racing community: This year we had 30-plus cars. Next year, let's increase that to 45. I’m giving the drivers a challenge: bring another driver with you. In an exciting development for the sport’s growth, Gakwaya revealed that driver Ahmed Huwel has committed to expanding his role beyond the cockpit by pledging future sponsorship to the Rally of Rwanda. With the dust barely settled in Kigali, the African Rally Championship family now prepares to pack up and cross the border, with Tanzania set to be the rally's next destination.
