Scrutineering ongoing before Sunday's Auto X Rally championship in Stoni Athi/ HANDOUT
Seventeen-year-old rally sensation Amaan Ganatra is confident of making a strong charge ahead of tomorrow’s second leg of the Shell Auto X Rally Championship at Stoni Athi in Machakos County.
The 2026 Auto X Rally Championship features a seven-leg calendar which kicked off in February and set to run till November, with Vivo Energy, through its Shell brand, serving as the official title sponsor.
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Ahead of the high-octane showdown, drivers underwent scrutineering on Saturday, giving crews the opportunity to fine-tune and inspect their machines before the ceremonial flag-off.
Ganatra, who will pilot a Mitsubishi Evo 9, is set to compete in the fiercely competitive 4WD category.
The teenage ace underscored the significance of the scrutineering process before engines roar to life on rally day.
“Scrutineering is what actually lets you race and the importance of coming to scrutineering is to prepare the car for the whole race in terms of safety and performance,” he said.
He added that the process is crucial in ensuring competitors are fully compliant and safe before tackling the demanding stages.
“It makes sure everything is in order so that you can perform at your best while being safe.”
Ganatra also revealed that his machine is in prime condition following the final inspections.
“After the final checks with the team I have, my car is basically at 100 per cent.”
However, the youngster expects the brutal Stoni Athi terrain to separate the brave from the rest.
“The track has a lot of hidden rocks and I feel that is something that will cut off a lot of drivers.”
Heading into Sunday’s battle against the clock, Ganatra’s strategy is to finish clean and stay consistent, avoiding costly mistakes.
“The aim is to keep it clean and consistent. This is a long stage, like 15km, but as long as you keep it clean, you’ll come out probably as one of the top drivers.”
Meanwhile, Neel Gohil, who will also line up in the 4WD category, echoed the importance of scrutineering in preparing for the punishing rally terrain.
“We have scrutineers who check the cars and tell you areas to fix in case there is a problem.”
Gohil described the Stoni Athi course as both unforgiving and thrilling, with a mix of rough sections and flat-out stretches.
“It’s a rough track but there are also some fast sections. It’s a 15km stage so it should be fun,” he said.
Still, he warned that the narrow and rocky course leaves little margin for error.
“The track is quite narrow so if you make a mistake, you go off and hit a rock.”
Muchina Hinga is also eagerly awaiting flag-off after successfully clearing scrutineering checks.
“The car is fine, it has made it through all scrutineering stages.”
Like Ganatra and Gohil, Hinga remains wary of the punishing opening sections of the Stoni Athi route.
“The beginning stage is rough with a lot of stones so we need to watch ourselves.”
