Mangat sets sights on Safari Rally

By Douglas Mazune

ARC standings

Jassy Singh 48 points

Jas Mangat 40

Davite Giancarlo 33

Mohammed Essa 25

Eric Page 25

Jan Habig 25

NATIONAL champion Jas Mangat, a hot contender for the 2013 Africa championship has left nothing to chance ahead of the KCB Kenya Safari Rally in Nairobi. 

Mangat coming off victory in the Puma Energy Rally of Tanzania will tomorrow dispatch his Mitsubishi Evo x R4 to Nairobi. 

He will join his service team on Sunday for mapping of the car to suit conditions in Kenya.

“I will be there on Sunday so we do the mapping of the car because the altitude in Kenya is different from Dar es Salaam. We have got to be there early to prepare and hopefully perform well,” Mangat told New Vision Sport.

Mangat whose new car has won two races in a row at home (Martyrs Day Rally) and away in Tanzania will be out to clinch appears good for a third straight victory. 

Mangat with 40 points is just eight points behind Zambian Jassy Singh in the Africa championship and will take the lead if he finishes on the podium and ahead of the Zambian.

Reigning Africa champion Mohammed Essa of Zambia is most unlikely to compete in Kenya having crashed his car in Tanzania.

After Kenya contenders for the continental title will head to Kampala for the Pearl of Africa Rally in August and then the Mountain Gorilla Rwanda Rally in September.

The championship will wind up with the Madagascar International Rally in November.