Karan Patel and his navigator Tauseef Khan/ FILETwo-time African rally champion Karan Patel is bracing for a thrilling duel with compatriot and 2021 Kenya Motorsport Personality of the Year Aakif Virani as he closes in on a third continental title at the season-ending Serengeti Rally in Tanzania from October 2–4.
Karan has clinched the continental crown twice in 2023 and 2024. After three rounds of the 2026 FIA African Rally Championship (ARC), Karan sits comfortably atop the standings with 118 points, opening a commanding gap over second-placed Virani, who has 85.
Jasmeet Chana is third on 67 points, while Samman Vohra is fourth with 66, completing a remarkable Kenyan lockout of the championship's top four places.
With organisers unveiling the confirmed entry list for the decisive finale, Karan and Virani headline a field packed with regional talent. Although Karan carries a substantial advantage into Tanzania, Virani still has a mathematical chance of denying the two-time champion a third ARC crown.
However, Virani's path to victory is incredibly narrow and depends entirely on a complete collapse from current leader Karan.
In the FIA ARC, a single standard rally offers a maximum of 35 points to the winner (30 points) for the overall victory + 5 bonus points for winning the Power Stage.
Karan has been untouchable throughout the opening three rounds, stamping his authority on the championship with a flawless winning streak that has firmly established him as the man to beat. He launched his 2026 title charge emphatically at the opening round, the WRC Safari Rally held from March 12–15, powering his Skoda Fabia to victory in a cumulative 4:26:54.6.
He finished well clear of Virani, who clocked 4:43:06.7, while last season's ARC runner-up Vohra completed an all-Kenyan podium sweep in 4:46:47.1.
The Kenyan ace tightened his grip on the championship at the Uganda Rally from May 7–10, producing another commanding drive to stop the clock in 2:03:06.
Once again, Vohra settled for second in 2:04:44, while defending African champion Yasin Nasser of Uganda completed the podium in 2:08:59. Karan's dominance continued at the third stop, Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally, where he was once again in imperious form, storming to victory in 2:13:18.6.
Tanzania's Ahmed Huwel finished second in 2:20:48.5, while Virani claimed third in 2:25:52.4. The Rwanda triumph also marked Karan's fourth career victory on the demanding Kigali terrain.
He first conquered the event in 2022, clocking 1:19:40.3 to edge Zambia's Leroy Gomes (1:19:53.5), with Kenya's Hamza Anwar completing the podium in 1:21:21.8. Karan successfully defended the title in 2023, posting 1:20:16.5 to narrowly fend off Uganda's Jas Mangat (1:20:33.2), while Anwar again finished third in 1:25:46.5.
He completed a memorable hat-trick in 2024, delivering a lights-to-flag masterclass aboard his Skoda Fabia R5 to win in 1:37:47.7. Uganda's Michael Mukula and Edward Kiyingi were second in 1:50:21.1, while Kenya's paraplegic ace Nikhil Sachania secured third in 1:55:36.3. Last year, however, Karan's quest for a fourth successive Rwanda crown ended in heartbreak after crashing into a tree on Stage Three, forcing an early retirement and bringing his remarkable winning streak at the event to an abrupt halt.
With one rally remaining, Karan says his attention is now firmly fixed on Tanzania, where he hopes to wrap up the championship in style.
Besides the two title protagonists, the Serengeti Rally has also attracted Jasmeet Chana and Ugandan challenger Oscar Ntambi.
