NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 24 – Carl Tundo led Kenyans to a podium sweep at the Rwanda Rally to clinch the FIA African Rally Championship (ARC) title with one event to spare.
Tundo, the five-time Safrai Rally winner won the Rwanda leg of the ARC ahead of compatriots Karan Patel who came second while youngster McRae Kimathi settled for third.
Meanwhile, Maxine Wahome and Linet Ayuko finished 6th overall to win the all Ladies Crew.
After leading Saturday’s seven- stage Leg 1, all Tundo needed to do to lift the continental title in the four-stage Day Two itinerary was just a finish which he did in bravado beating compatriot Karan Patel by 14.4 seconds to win the prestigious Rwanda round outright.
This went down as Tundo’s fourth win of the 2021 ARC season after the Equator Rally Kenya in Naivasha, Rally of Tanzania and Zambia International Rally where he survived late puncture scare to pull through.
In winning the penultimate ARC round, Tundo joins the growing list of Kenyans who got their mitts on the coveted African title after pioneer Shekhar Mehta who won it for the country in 1981 in a Nissan.
David Horsey of Mombasa was the second winner in a Peugeot in 1984 followed by Kisumu speed star Jaspreet Singh Chatthe in 2015 in a Mitsubishi EvolutionX, Don Smith in 2016 in a Subaru while Manvir Barya won a hat-trick of the African Championship titles in 2019 in a Škoda Fabia R5.
Kenyans took command of the Rwanda Mountain Gorilla event with Tundo leading compatriots Patel and Kimathi to a rare podium clean sweep.
Third overall for the FIA Rally Star Program driver Kimathi Junior was a career best.
Tundo clocked 1;29.42.8hours to beat Karan by a mere 14.4seconds.
Kimathi in his Rally 3 M-Sport prepared Ford times 1:40.17.2.
The Mint Motorsport-sponsored crew of Tundo and Jessop, took the lead from start, fighting for seconds in each other stage with fellow countryman, Karan in a Ford Fiesta R5.
Tundo led the rally with 46 minutes 47.1 seconds after SS9, 21.3seconds adrift of second placed Patel.
Boterill dropped out due to engine gremlins.
Fighting his way back,after tormenting morning experience of a blown turbo gearbox, Uganda’s Yasin Nasser managed an seventh position.
Local driver Gakwaya Jean Claude took fourh overall in a Subaru.
“It was a push and finish for us,” said Yasin after having his car fixed.
The rally took place in the Eastern part of Rwanda.
Past winners
1981 Kenya Shekhar Mehta Nissan
1982 West Germany Walter Röhrl Opel
1983 Ivory Coast Alain Ambrosino Peugeot
1984 Kenya David Horsey Peugeot
1985 Rwanda Luc Requile Opel/Mitsubishi
1986 Ivory Coast Alain Ambrosino Nissan
1987 Ivory Coast Alain Ambrosino Nissan
1988 Zambia Satwant Singh Toyota
1989 Zambia Satwant Singh Volkswagen
1990 Burundi Walter Costa Peugeot
1991 Zambia Satwant Singh Toyota
1992 Italy Aldo Riva Audi
1993 Zambia Satwant Singh Toyota
1994 Zimbabwe Abe Smit Audi
1995 Namibia Fritz Flachberger Ford
1996 Zambia Satwant Singh Subaru
1997 Zambia Satwant Singh Subaru
1998 Zambia Satwant Singh Subaru
1999 Uganda Charles Muhangi Subaru
2000 Zambia Satwant Singh Subaru
2001 South Africa Schalk Burger Subaru
2002 South Africa John Gemmel Subaru
2003 Spain Fernando Rueda Mitsubishi
2004 Zambia Muna Singh Subaru
2005 Zambia Muna Singh Subaru
2006 Belgium Patrick Emontspool Subaru
2007 Zimbabwe Conrad Rautenbach Subaru
2008 Japan Hideaki Miyoshi Mitsubishi
2009 Zimbabwe James Whyte Subaru
2010 Zimbabwe James Whyte Subaru
2011 Zimbabwe Conrad Rautenbach Subaru
2012 Zambia Mohamed Essa Subaru
2013 Zambia Jassy Singh Subaru
2014 Ivory Coast Gary Chaynes Mitsubishi
2015 Kenya Jaspreet Singh Chatthe Mitsubishi
2016 Kenya Don Smith Subaru
2017-19 Kenya Manvir Baryan Škoda
2020 Postponed
2021 Kenya Carl Tundo VW Polo R5
