African Rally Championship
| Category | Group Rally2 |
|---|---|
| Country | Africa |
| Inaugural season | 1981 |
| Drivers' champion | Karan Patel |
| Makes' champion | Ford |
| Official website | Official site |
| Current season | |
The African Rally Championship (ARC) is an international automobile rally championship run under the auspices of the FIA.
History
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 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 the Ivory Coast. 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 the Ivory Coast was left off the 2024 calendar due to 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 participation.
Events
- Rally of Tanzania
- Pearl of Africa Rally (Uganda)
- Safari Rally (Kenya)
- Zimbabwe Challenge: Not Currently on the Championship Calendar
- Zambia International Motor Rally
- Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally
- Equator Rally (Kenya)
- Mountain Gorilla Rally (Rwanda)
- Rallye Côte d'Ivoire
- Rally South Africa - Not Currently on the Championship Calendar
- Tara Rally (Namibia): Not Currently on the Championship Calendar
- Rallye International de Madagascar - Not Currently on the Championship Calendar
- Burundi International Rally: Joining the 2023 FIA African Rally Championship
Champions
| Season | Driver | Car |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Shekhar Mehta | Nissan |
| 1982 | Walter Röhrl | Opel |
| 1983 | Alain Ambrosino | Peugeot |
| 1984 | David Horsey | Peugeot |
| 1985 | Luc Requile | Opel/Mitsubishi |
| 1986 | Alain Ambrosino | Nissan |
| 1987 | Alain Ambrosino | Nissan |
| 1988 | Satwant Singh | Toyota |
| 1989 | Satwant Singh | Volkswagen |
| 1990 | Walter Costa | Peugeot |
| 1991 | Satwant Singh | Toyota |
| 1992 | Aldo Riva | Audi |
| 1993 | Satwant Singh | Toyota |
| 1994 | Abe Smit | Audi |
| 1995 | Fritz Flachberger | Ford |
| 1996 | Satwant Singh | Subaru |
| 1997 | Satwant Singh | Subaru |
| 1998 | Satwant Singh | Subaru |
| 1999 | Charles Muhangi | Subaru |
| 2000 | Satwant Singh | Subaru |
| 2001 | Schalk Burger | Subaru |
| 2002 | John Gemmel | Subaru |
| 2003 | Fernando Rueda | Mitsubishi |
| 2004 | Muna Singh | Subaru |
| 2005 | Muna Singh | Subaru |
| 2006 | Patrick Emontspool | Subaru |
| 2007 | Conrad Rautenbach | Subaru |
| 2008 | Hideaki Miyoshi | Mitsubishi |
| 2009 | James Whyte | Subaru |
| 2010 | James Whyte | Subaru |
| 2011 | Conrad Rautenbach | Subaru |
| 2012 | Mohamed Essa | Subaru |
| 2013 | Jassy Singh | Subaru |
| 2014 | Gary Chaynes | Mitsubishi |
| 2015 | Jaspreet Singh Chatthe | Mitsubishi |
| 2016 | Don Smith | Subaru |
| 2017 | Manvir Baryan | Škoda |
| 2018 | Manvir Baryan | Škoda |
| 2019 | Manvir Baryan | Škoda |
| 2020 | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | |
| 2021 | Carl "Flash" Tundo | Volkswagen Polo |
| 2022 | Leeroy Gomes | Ford |
| 2023 | Karan Patel | Ford |
| 2024 | Karan Patel | Škoda |