Karan completes Arc Pearl Rally double as Nikhil celebrates back-to-back Arc3 wins

Reigning Africa Champion Karan Patel racked up his maiden win of the 2025 FIA African Rally Championship (ARC) season at the Pearl of Uganda Rally which concluded in Mbarara.

Navigated by Tauseef Khan in a Škoda Fabia R5, Karan had his campaign effectively sewn-up when overnight leader and Kenyan champion Samman Vohra hit mechanical trouble on SS6.

Samman hit a jump and damaged a suspension arm which sent his Škoda Rally 2 into limp mode, hence his exit from this year's Pearl.

Samman appeared destined for a maiden international trophy on Ugandan soil but not until his stage gremlins ended his scintillating run in an event which counted towards the second round of the FIA ARC series.

Karan, who is going for his third straight continental title, savored his first win of the 2025 ARC season in the Western district of Uganda. Karan had kissed the season-opening WRC Safari goodbye in Naivasha, much to his chagrin.

Uganda champion Yasin Nasser and his compatriot Ali Katumba settled for second position behind the wheel of a Ford Fiesta Rally2.

 Kenyan paraplegic driver Nikhil Sachania sealed the podium in a Ford Fiesta Rally3.

Third overall was fulfilling for the 2014 Kenya motorsport personality of the year (Sachania) given that Nasser's Fiesta Rally2 is a far more superior contraption than the Rally3.

The main difference between the Ford Fiesta Rally2 and Rally3 lies in their complexity, cost, and performance characteristics.

Rally3 is designed to be more affordable and accessible, bridging the gap between Rally2 and Rally4 in the FIA Rally Pyramid, while Rally2 offers greater performance and technical capabilities.

Sachania is enjoying top form at the present after winning WRC3 and ARC3 titles on WRC Safari last March.

The 2025 Pearl of Africa Rally championship attracted 53 entrie, which included 8 foreign drivers from 4 different countries.

The first edition of the Pearl of Africa Rally was held in 1997 as an African Rally Championship candidate event. This followed the successful organization of Burundi's Great Lakes Rally in Uganda in 1996.

The Great Lakes Rally was moved to Uganda due to political instability in Burundi. Inspired by the success of the Great Lakes Rally, Uganda decided to apply for its own African Rally Championship event in 1997.