Karan Patel and his navigator Tauseef Khan during the WRC Safari Rally/ HANDOUT Two-time African Rally champion Tauseef Khan, navigator to Karan Patel, says the duo will not push themselves too hard when the final leg of the 2026 FIA African Rally Championship (ARC) revs off today at the Serengeti Rally in Tanzania, with the pair targeting a measured top-five finish to secure the continental crown.
Behind the wheel of their Skoda Fabia R5, the duo currently top the championship standings on 118 points, giving them a healthy cushion heading into the decisive final round.
They lead a dominant Kenyan top-four sweep, with Aakif Virani second on 85 points while Jasmeet “Iceman” Chana occupies third on 67 points.
Last year's ARC runner-up Samman Vohra completes the Kenyan top four on 66 points, setting up an intriguing battle behind the championship leaders as the crews tackle the demanding Tanzanian stages. Before the Serengeti Rally, Patel and Khan put their Skoda through its paces in testing, ensuring the machine was in prime condition ahead of the showdown.
“Testing was good for us,” Tauseef said.
With a third continental title now within touching distance, the experienced navigator said the duo will adopt a calculated approach rather than throw caution to the wind in Tanzania. “The plan for Tanzania is to just finish in a good position. So we're not gonna be pushing too hard,” he added.
The mathematics are straightforward for Tauseef, with the pair needing only a top-five finish to put the championship beyond doubt. “The idea is just to be in the top five, honestly.”
“To secure the championship, I think we need like three points,” Tauseef added. In Tanzania, the duo will therefore focus on managing their pace, avoiding unnecessary risks and enjoying the route while keeping their eyes firmly fixed on the bigger prize. “So we are just aiming for a top five and to enjoy the rally as well as to secure the championship.”
Patel and Tauseef first conquered the continental series in 2023 after amassing a cumulative 144 points. They successfully defended their title in 2024, garnering 143 points, but their charge for a third successive crown fell short in 2025 after mechanical gremlins derailed their campaign.
However, their 2026 ARC campaign has been a different story, with the duo remaining unbeaten across all the legs contested so far and underlining their status as the crew to beat.
They launched their title assault emphatically at the opening round, the WRC Safari Rally, held from March 12-15, where they powered to victory with a cumulative time of 4:26:54.6.
The duo finished comfortably ahead of Aakif Virani, who clocked 4:43:06.7, while Vohra completed an all-Kenyan podium sweep in 4:46:47.1.
They tightened their grip on the championship at the Pearl of Uganda Rally, staged from May 7-10, producing another commanding drive to stop the clock in 2:03:06.
Once again, they outpaced Vohra, who settled for second in 2:04:44, while defending African champion Yasin Nasser of Uganda completed the podium in 2:08:59. At the third round of the continental championship, the Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally, the duo were once again in imperious form, charging to victory in 2:13:18.6. Tanzania’s Ahmed Huwel finished second in 2:20:48.5, while Virani completed the podium in third in 2:25:52.4.
