ARC title battle intensifies as Nasser, Patel face off in Rwanda
Nasser is gunning for his first event win of the season, which would solidify his position at the top of the championship.
Yasin Nasser (right) and his navigator Ali Katumba. Photo by Gerald Kikulwe
By Gerald Kikulwe
Journalists @New Vision
ARC standings
Yasin Nasser (Ug) – 63 points
Carl Tndo (Ken) – 50 points
Nikhil Sachania (Ken) – 50 points
Jeremiah Wahome (Ken) – 42 points
Samman Vohra (Ken) – 36 points
Karan Patel (Ken) – 35 points
The 2025 Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally promises to be an action-packed showdown as the third round of the African Rally Championship (ARC) gets underway this Saturday and Sunday.
Thousands of Ugandan rally enthusiasts have traveled to Rwanda to cheer on their country's ace driver, Yasin Nasser, who currently tops the championship standings with 63 points. Nasser is gunning for his first event win of the season, which would solidify his position at the top of the championship.
Nasser, navigating with seasoned pace notes reader Ali Katumba, has been consistent so far this season. In the brand-new factory rally car Ford Fiesta R5 NEMO, the Ugandan driver finished third in both the season opener, the WRC Safari Rally in Naivasha, Kenya, and the second round, the Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally. With two third-place finishes under his belt, Nasser is confident of claiming his maiden win this season.
However, Nasser faces stiff competition from two-time ARC defending champion Karan Patel. Patel had an unfortunate outing in the season opener, where his car succumbed to mechanical problems, forcing him to retire. But he bounced back with a vengeance, winning the second round in Uganda. Currently sitting sixth with 35 points, Patel is determined to close the gap to Nasser and reclaim the championship lead.
Other Kenyan drivers are also in the hunt, including Nikhil Sachania in his Ford Fiesta R5, who sits third in the championship with 50 points. Samman Vohra, driving a Skoda Fabia R5 and currently fifth in the standings with 36 points, is also looking to make a move. Both drivers will be looking to win the Mountain Gorilla Rally to get closer to the ARC title.
The competition will be fierce, with a total of 31 drivers confirmed to participate in the event. The drivers will cover a total distance of 389.47 km over the two days of the rally.
Uganda will be well-represented, with 11 drivers competing across different ARC categories. Besides Nasser, other Ugandan drivers include Micheal Mukula Junior (ARC2), Ahmed Ssenyonjo (2WD), Timothy Gawaya, Issa Nyanzi, Fred Kitaka Busuulwa, Joshua Muwanguzi, Faizal Kayiira, Isaac Ssozi, Gilbert Balondemu, and Ian Buchu.
With only two rounds remaining after the Mountain Gorilla Rally, including events in Burundi and Tanzania, the stakes are high. The drivers will need to push their limits to emerge victorious and claim the coveted ARC title. The engines will roar, anti-lag systems will thunder, and the battle for podium positions will be intense.