Zambian couple on brink of winning title

The Zambian couple Leroy Gomes and Urshilla Gomes now just need a top-five position in their home round Zambia Rally to clinch the 2022 African Rally Championship title following their second-place finish in Rwanda last weekend.

Kenya’s Karan Patel, navigated by Tauseef Khan, won the latest round of the 2022 African Rally Championship in Rwanda.

If the Zambian husband-and-wife crew win the crown, it will be the 13th different occasion for Zambia to feature on the winners list.

Satwant Singh won the ARC title eight times followed by Muna Singh (two times) with Jassy Singh and Issa Mohammed taking the continental title once each.

Leading Rwanda Rally results: 1. Karan Patel (Kenya)/Tauseef Khan (Kenya) (Ford Fiesta R5) 01:19:40.3. 2. Leroy Gomes(Zambia)/Urshlla Gomes (Zambia) (Ford Fiesta R5) 01:19:53.5, 3. Hamza Anwar (Kenya)/Adnan Din (Kenya) (Ford Fiesta R3) 01:21:21.8, 4. Jas Mangat (Uganda)/Joseph Kamya (Uganda) (Mitsubishi Lancer) 01:22:07.4, 5. Jeremiah Wahome (Kenya) /Victor Okundi (Kenya) (Ford Fiesta R3) 01:22:30.0, 6. McRae Kimathi (Kenya) /Mwangi Kioni (Kenya) (Ford FiestaR3) 01:23:22.3, 7. Duncan Mubiru (Uganda) /Mussa Nsubuga (Uganda) (Ford Fiesta Proto) 01:23:32.3, 8. Jonas Kansiime (Uganda) /Ivan Tushabe (Uganda) (Mitsubishi Lancer) 01:29:39.0, 9. Maxime Wahome (Kenya) /Murage Waigwa (Kenya) (Ford Fiesta R3) 01:31:59.5, 10. Busulua Fred Kitaka (Uganda) /Joseph Bongole (Subaru Impreza) 01:34:11.1.

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Bamba will be the rally headquarters for the next round of the 2022 KBL Kenya National Rally Championship event to be held in Mombasa.

The Mombasa Motor Club will have three competitive stages that will be done twice.

The competitive distance will be 154 kilometres with the stages mainly smooth and fast.

The start order will follow according to the published official final Start List which will include the allocated start time for each crew as TC0 ceremonial start time.

All crews will start at 3 minute intervals in the rally that will take place on October 15 and 16.

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Two more events after Mombasa will be left to close the 2022 KBL Kenya National Rally Championship season.

The events will be organised by the Rally Sports Club on November 5 and 6 and the Sikh Union Club on November 26 and 27, respectively.

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The 2023 calendar for the FIA Formula One World Championship has been approved by the members of the World Motor Sport Council.

The Bahrain Grand Prix will open the 2023 World Championship on March 5, while the Monaco Grand Prix, on May 28, is retained on the schedule with the Las Vegas (November 18) street circuit added.

The Formula 1 calendar that features 24 events is: Bahrain (March 5), Saudi Arabia (March 19), Australia (April 2), China (April 16), Azerbaijan (April 30), Miami (May 7), Imola (May 21), Monaco (May 28), Spain (June 4), Canada (June 18), Austria (July 2), United Kingdom (July 19), Hungary (July 23), Belgium (July 30), Netherlands (August 27), Italy (September 3), Singapore (September 17), Japan (September 24), Qatar (October 8), USA (October 22); Mexico (October 29), Brazil (November 5), Las Vegas (November 18), Abu Dhabi (November 26).

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Kalle Rovanperä leads the drivers’ championship of the World Rally Championship by 53 points and has his best opportunity yet to clinch his first title if he can add eight more points to his advantage in New Zealand this weekend.

Joining Rovanperä and Elfyn Evans – who make their Rally New Zealand debuts – will be reigning world champion Sébastien Ogier, who finished a close second on his previous visit to New Zealand in 2010 and returns to the team’s line-up for the final three rounds of the season.

Katsuta Takamoto will be another New Zealand first-timer in his TGR WRT Next Generation entry.

New Zealand returns to the WRC calendar after 10 years.

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