Top Zimbabwean motor rally daredevils Conrad Rautenbach and veteran Jamie Whyte are among 17 drivers who have already registered for the KCB Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally which will be flagged off in Kigali on September 30.
According to reports from Rwanda, battle between Rautenbach and Whyte, will be the major highlight as the two are currently engaged in a fierce contest for the FIA Africa Rally Championship (ARC).
The two will, however, face stiff competition from local favourite and last year’s runner-up Giancarlo Davite who will be eager to do well after a disappointing season so far.
The KCB Mountain Gorilla Rally is the penultimate round of the eight-legged ARC series in which Rautenbach and Whyte are in first and second position respectively.
Rautenbach (26) who finished fourth in the three-day Kobil Rally of Tanzania recently leads the ARC drivers’ standings with 105 points while Whyte who came second in Tanzania is in second place with 94 points.
Rautenbach, who is also competing in the South African Rally Championship, faces a hectic schedule as he is also expected to take part at the Toyota Dealer Cape Rally during the weekend of September 23-24 before travelling to Rwanda the next weekend.
Madagascar’s duo of Jean Yves/Ranaivamampianini Rila who won in Tanzania and their compatriots Frederic Rakotomanga/Adam Yachine have also confirmed, adding more colour to the continental event, the seventh of eight ARC editions.
Uganda’s Ashraf Ahmed/Daniel Ayebare, Charlie Lubega, Charles Muhangi, Kenneth Ntaro, Dr Mohammed Ashraf and Ronald Sebuguuzi are also in the line-up, while Jas Mangat is the only Kenyan driver registered for the event.
