Jasmeet "Iceman" Chana/ HANDOUT

The 2023 Kenya National Rally champion, Jasmeet ‘Iceman’ Chana, is optimistic of laying down a strong marker in his maiden outing at the Pearl of Uganda Rally, the second round of the African Rally Championship, set to kick off today. 

Chana will be strapped into his Ford Fiesta rally machine with his brother, Ravi Chana, calling the pace notes. The two brothers form part of a formidable Kenyan convoy set to storm across the border in pursuit of crucial African Rally Championship points.

Leading the charge is two-time African champion Karan Patel, navigated by the experienced Tauseef Khan in a Skoda Fabia. Also in the mix are paraplegic ace Nikhil Sachania with co-driver Deep Patel (Ford Fiesta Rally 3), former national champion Samman Vohra alongside Drew Sturrock (Skoda Fabia Evo) and the mother-daughter pairing of Tinashe and Caroline Gatimu (Ford Fiesta).

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The Kenyan roster is further bolstered by Aakif Virani and Zahir Shah (Skoda Fabia), Evans Nzioka with Absalom Aswani (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X), Hamza Anwar and Adan Din (Ford Fiesta), as well as Sameer Nanji partnered with Zaib Azhar (Subaru Impreza).

Chana wasted no time getting acquainted with the terrain, hitting reconnaissance on Tuesday ahead of Thursday’s shakedown and ceremonial flag-off, as crews fine-tune setups and dial in their machines. The 2026 Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally features 12 demanding stages, stretching across 201.85km of competitive distance.

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After a recce run, Chana singled out the second leg as a potential rally breaker, warning of punishing conditions that could shake up the leaderboard. “I am excited to be here, it’s my first time competing in Uganda,” he said. “The second leg of this rally is quite rough, and it will deteriorate even further as more cars pass through.”

Still, the ‘Iceman’ remains unfazed, embracing the grind that defines elite rallying. “But that’s the nature of rally driving, we’re conditioned for it, so there’s no room for complaints,” he added. Beyond the punishing sections, Chana expects the rest of the itinerary to offer fast, flowing stages where rhythm and bravery will be rewarded.

“The other stages are nice, quick and fluid, so I’m looking forward to a strong event overall,” he noted. With valuable ARC points on the line, Chana is targeting a decisive performance to boost his continental campaign.

“We need to step up and really push for a podium finish in the ARC,” he said. “Our expectations are high, now it’s about executing and seeing how it unfolds.”

Kenyan drivers have already hit top gear earlier this season with a commanding display in the opening ARC round at the WRC Safari Rally in March. Patel dominated the event, clocking a cumulative time of 4:26:54.6, with Aakif Virani finishing second in 4:43:06.7. Samman Vohra completed an all-Kenyan podium sweep with 4:46:47.1.

Chana narrowly missed out on the podium, finishing fourth with a total time of 5:06:35.7, while Uganda’s Oscar Ntambi rounded out the top five in 5:11:08.0. Heading into the Pearl of Uganda Rally, Patel leads the ARC standings on 49 points, followed by Virani on 38 and Vohra on 37. Chana remains firmly in contention, sitting fourth overall with 32 points as the championship battle gathers pace.