LOCAL drivers will take the quest for the National Rally Championship points to Rally de Gitega scheduled for this weekend in Burundi. According to the Rwanda Automobile Club (RAC) Chairman Yves Gakwaya, Rally de Gitega is part of the national championship calendar. Reigning national champion Giancarlo Davite and his Sylvia Vindevogel will go looking for points in the Rally de Gitega this weekend. (File photo) “It is a new rally event on our calendar and it was done as a way of partnering with our Burundian counterparts in order to help them promote motorsport in their country,” Gakwaya told Saturday Sporton Wednesday. Rally de Gitega is the fourth on the national calendar following the Sprint rally held in February, Rally de Nord in May and Mt. Gorilla Rally in July. After this weekend, there will be two more rounds; Rally de Huye in October and Rally de Mille Collin in December. The quest for Rally de Gitega title will be spiced up by reigning national champion Giancarlo Davite, who will be navigated by Sylvia Vindevogel in a Mistubishi Evo X. Other drivers include; Valery Bukera alongside Khetia Nital in a Subaru N10, Mohammed Abbas navigated by Noella Helga Ntirushwa in a Subaru N10, Rudy Cantanhede with Tissarchontos Petros in a Mistubishi Evo 4, Jean Claude Gakwaya with Jean Mugabo in a Subaru N10. Ally Mohammed in a Subaru GC8, Mayaka Felekani Amigo with Fabrice Nyiridandi in a Mistubishi Evo 3, Thierry Mutore and arnaud Nzojiyobiri in a Subaru WRX, Arif Karmali in a Subaru WRX, Jean Jacques Ntwari and Dias Maceri in a Toyota Celica and Kimbol Barekayo and Abdul Rauf in a Toyota Celica. Davite won last year’s championship with 138 points, Burundian Roshanali Abbas Mohamed finished second with 99 points, while Elefter Mitraros came third with 92 points.
