Patel closes in on African rally title after dominant Rwanda victory

Patel's fourth victory in Rwanda strengthened his grip on the championship standings, where he now leads with 118 points.

Ranked among Africa's leading rally drivers, Patel said Sunday's victory had boosted both his and his team's belief that they could compete with the very best.

"Last year we had a lot of tough pills to swallow, but we made it despite our ups and downs, ending the season on a high in Tanzania. That set the precedent for this year, which has been very successful so far. Nothing is guaranteed, but we hope and pray this trend continues. As long as I can, I want to be African champion, so we will do our best," said Patel.

Patel arrived in Kigali with an eight-point championship lead after collecting 83 points from the opening two rounds. A dominant display across the rally's special stages in Kigali and Bugesera saw him significantly extend that advantage heading into the next round in Tanzania.

Partnered by long-time co-driver Tauseef Khan, Patel won 10 of the 12 special stages in Rwanda, underlining his status as the championship favourite as the series reaches its halfway stage.

Patel now tops the standings with 118 points, opening a commanding 33-point lead over fellow Kenyan Aakif Virani, who is second on 85 points. Jasmeet Chana is third with 67 points, one point ahead of Samman Vohra on 66.

Nikhil Sachania occupies fifth place with 56 points, while India's Naveen Puligilla has climbed to sixth on 39 points.

Uganda's Oscar Ntambi is seventh with 38 points, followed by compatriot Yasin Nasser on 34. Rwanda's Christian Kanangire moved into ninth with 27 points after claiming ARC2 honours on home soil, while Tanzania's Ahmed Huwel completes the top 10 with 24 points.

Patel will now turn his attention to the Mkwawa Rally in Tanzania, scheduled for 2–4 October, where he has previously enjoyed considerable success, winning the event in both 2022 and 2025 in a Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo.