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African Rally Championship

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
African Rally Championship
CategoryGroup N
R5/Rally2
CountryAfrica
Inaugural season1981
Drivers' championKenya Karan Patel
Makes' championFord
Official websiteOfficial site
Current season
Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X R4 at the 2021 Equator Rally Kenya

The African Rally Championship (ARC) is an international automobile rally championship run under the auspices of the FIA. The championship was first held in 1981 and won by Shekhar Mehta. The most successful driver in the championship's history is Zambian driver Satwant Singh with eight championships. The reigning 2023 champions are Kenyans Karan Patel and Navigator Tauseef Khan.

The championship has been held widely across the African continent, including the island of Madagascar, although few events are held in or north of the Sahara. The championship has frequently incorporated World Rally Championship events, particularly Africa's two most popular rallies, the Safari Rally in Kenya and the Ivory Coast Rally in Côte d'Ivoire. It is most popular in former British colonies.

Presently, the African rally championship events are held in Burundi, Zambia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda. The event in Côte d'Ivoire was left off the 2024 calendar due to a very low cross-border entry. This is mostly due to the cost and the vast distances competitors have to travel to attend the event. Logistical challenges are also adding a huge cost to being able to participate.

Events

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Champions

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Season Driver Car
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 Kenya Manvir Baryan Škoda
2018 Kenya Manvir Baryan Škoda
2019 Kenya Manvir Baryan Škoda
2020 Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021 Kenya Carl "Flash" Tundo Volkswagen Polo
2022 Zambia Leeroy Gomes Ford
2023 Kenya Karan Patel Ford

References

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