Chana brothers hoping to reclaim national title with statement Safari triumph

Jasmeet and Ravi Chana's Ford Fiesta Rally 2/ HANDOUT

Jasmeet and Ravi Chana aim to build on their 2023 Kenya National Rally Championship triumph by targeting a top‑Kenyan finish at the WRC Safari Rally, which kicks off tomorrow in Naivasha.

The Chana siblings headline a strong, composite Kenyan squad that also features two‑time African champion Karan Patel, 2026 Kenyan champion Samman Vohra, Aakif Virani, Issa Amwari, and former FIA Rally Star Programme alumni Hamza Anwar and Jeremiah Wahome.

All of these drivers are eager for a solid domestic competition after last year’s WRC Safari Rally highlighted the void left by the collapse of the Kenya National Rally Championship (KNRC). 2023 marked the final year the KNRC ran a full calendar, leaving Kenyan rally‑fans craving a proper series.

Jasmeet has rebuilt his Ford Fiesta Rally2, now backed by Rubis Energy under the Castrol lubricants banner. This marks the third consecutive season that the team receives full‑season support covering both the Safari Rally and the African Rally Championship.

Olivier Sabrié, CEO of Rubis East Africa and Group Managing Director of Rubis Energy Kenya, praised the Chana brothers, saying their partnership—combining Castrol’s lubrication expertise with Rubis’s energy resources—gives them the tools needed to tackle the brutal terrain of the Kenyan Safari Rally, one of the most demanding events on the World Rally Championship calendar.

Additional backing comes from CRS Racing, CRS, and Identisys. “We wouldn’t be here without Rubis and Identisys,” Jasmeet noted. “Competing in the Safari Rally is expensive, so we’re grateful for their help and proud to have them with us.”

Based out of Naivasha, the rally is famed for its rugged gravel stages, erratic weather, and severe endurance tests.

“As a Kenyan driver, my goal is to win my class; anything beyond that would be a bonus,” Jasmeet explained, adding that his brother Ravi—an experienced co‑driver—makes the Ford Fiesta Rally2 the best possible combination for him.

Despite a weak field and the near‑collapse of competitive rallying in Kenya last year, the Chanas posted a podium finish at Tanzania’s Guru Nanak Mkwawa Rally and finished third in the KNRC’s Super Rally category. They also placed second in the Eldoret and Nanyuki rounds of that championship.

Their breakthrough season came in 2023, when they clinched the national title after wins in Eldoret, Simba Union, and Nanyuki. They were runners‑up in the KNRC’s Safari category, second in the KMSC events at Nairobi and Mombasa, and earned third places at the ARC Equator Rally and the RSC Machakos.

Jasmeet’s rally résumé includes the overall drivers’ title in the 2023 Kenya National Rally Championship and multiple class victories. He previously campaigned a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X in the KNRC, but has now upgraded to the technologically advanced Ford Fiesta Rally2 to take on the world’s best in WRC‑2.

Working closely with M‑Sport Ford engineers, Jasmeet says the team is fine‑tuning the car’s electronic dynamics to suit the demanding Safari stages.

“Competing against WRC and WRC‑2 machinery is a once‑in‑a‑lifetime chance. Being there is huge for us,” he added.