The 2023 Kenya National Rally champion, Jasmeet "Iceman" Chana, and his navigator, brother Ravinder Chana, are set to compete in the Serengeti Rally in Tanzania, marking the end of their first full Africa Rally Championship (ARC) campaign. The Chana brothers are currently third in the ARC standings with 67 points. They have had an encouraging season, gaining valuable experience against some of the region's leading drivers.
Two-time ARC champion Karan Patel leads the leaderboard with 118 points, followed by Aakif Virani with 85 points. Last year's runner-up, Samman Vohra, completes a Kenyan top-four with 66 points. Uganda's Oscar Ntambi is fifth place with 38 points, four better than compatriot and ARC champion, Yasin Nasser. The Chana brothers are driving a Ford Fiesta R2 and have shown consistency throughout the season.
The Chana brothers kicked off their 2026 campaign at the March 12-15 WRC Safari Rally in Naivasha. At the Safari, Karan quickly stamped his authority on the continental series, posting a cumulative time of 4:26:54.7 to secure maximum points and take an early lead in the championship standings. Virani followed in 4:43:06.7, while Vohra completed the podium in 4:46:47.1. Chana finished fourth in 5:06:35.7.
The Chana brothers then made their maiden appearance at the Pearl of Uganda Rally on May 7-10, placing fifth in a cumulative time of 2:16:11.5. Karan won in 2:03:06.7, ahead of Vohra (2:04:44.0), Nasser (2:08:59.7) and Virani (2:12:44.3). This was followed by another fifth-place finish for Chana at the Rwanda Mount Gorilla Rally of July 10-12, timing 2:28:47.0.
Karan underlined his dominance by clinching his third straight victory of the 2026 campaign, finishing in 2:13:18.5, ahead of Tanzania's Ahmed Huwel (2:20:48.5) and Virani (2:25:52.4). The Serengeti Rally presents one final opportunity for the Chana brothers to put the finishing touches to an encouraging maiden full-season ARC campaign.
Jasmeet Chana has been a consistent figure on Kenya's motorsport scene, winning 2WD, Division One, Division Three, Group S and Group N, before crowning his progression with the overall Kenya National Rally Championship title in 2023. Earlier in the season, Chana outlined his ambition to contest the first full continental campaign and gain valuable experience against some of the region's leading drivers.
The Serengeti Rally will be a crucial event for the Chana brothers as they look to end their first full ARC campaign on a high. With a podium finish, they can cap off an impressive season and set their sights on future challenges. The event will take place this weekend in Tanzania, marking the final round of the 2026 ARC season.
Key points
- The Chana brothers are third in the ARC standings with 67 points.
- Karan Patel leads the ARC standings with 118 points.
- The Serengeti Rally marks the final round of the 2026 ARC season.
