NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 23 – Carl “Flash” Tundo is assured of the 2021 FIA African Rally Championship (ARC) title if he is able to finish Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally tomorrow.
This follows the exit of his closest Championship challenger, Guy Botteril of South Africa who exited the event with Day One mechanical gremlins..
Tundo leads overnight with only four stages to spare tomorrow.
The current Kenyan log leader set the fastest cumulative time after Saturday’s seventh and last speed test to claim the overnight lead .
After powering his Minti Motorsport Volkswagen Polo R5 to fastest time in Friday’s qualifying stage, Tundo claimed the opening stage in the morning to open a 00:05.6 seconds lead ahead of compatriot Karan Patel.
Carl also set the quickest tine on SS3. Gasenvi stage where he extended his lead with a 00:06.5 seconds cushion over Karan.
Karan driving a Ford Fiesta R5 set fastest time in stage three but had to contend with playing second fiddle to Tundo who clung to his lead at the time.
The first car left the parc Ferme at 8:00hrs Rwandan time as others followed in three minute intervals.
Seven competitive special stages were held in the district of Bugesera on Saturday with SS8 being cancelled.
The current continental Championship started off in Ivory Coast in 2020 where Boterill emerged the victor.
But Bandama Rallye was later incorporated into the 2021 ARC schedule due to the novel coronavirus which triggered a sporting break globally.
Tundo is seeking to capture the title previously held by compatriots Manvir Baryan, Jassi Chatthe, Don Smith, Shekhar Mehta and David Horsey.