Kenya’s Karan Patel Ends Season with Third Career ARC Title in Tanzania

Karan Patel ended the 2026 FIA African Rally Championship (ARC) season on a high, sealing his third career continental title with a perfect four-from-four winning record at the 2026 ARC Serengeti Rally of Tanzania.

Patel, navigated by Tauseef Khan in a Skoda Fabia Rally2, won in Tanzania on Sunday to add to his earlier victories at the Safari Rally Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda. He sealed the title before the start of Tanzanian leg following the withdrawal of compatriot Aakif Virani, who was the only driver with an outside mathematical chance.

KCB Racing team’s Karan (2022, 2023, 2026) becomes only the fourth driver in ARC history to win three or more titles, joining an elite club that includes Ivory Coast's Alain Ambrosino (1983, 1986, 1987), Zambia's record eight-time champion Satwant Singh and fellow Kenyan Manvir Baryan (2017, 2018, 2019).

Patel won in Tanzania with a cumulative time of 02:02:37.8 to claim 30 maximum points and an additional four on the power stage to close the season on final points total of 152.

He was followed by Tanzanian ace Manveer Birdi navigated by Zubayr Piredina in an ex-Samman Vohra Skoda Fabia Evo. Birdi finished second, 33.7 seconds behind Patel with a time of 02:03:11.5.

Ugandan Yasin Nasser with Ali Katumba in a Ford Fiesta MK II finished third overall ahead of Tanzania’s Ahmed Huwell/Roheet Solanki in a Toyota GR Yaris Rally 2.

Further down the order, Oscar Ntambi/Pius Luggya in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X and Nsereko Godfrey/Musisi Bosco in a Toyota Etios completed the provisional top six.

The bonus points were decided on the final Power Stage, where points are awarded on a scale of 5-4-3-2-1 for the five fastest crews.

Local hero Manveer Birdi won the Power Stage in 05:43.7 minutes to bag five bonus points.