Kenya National Rally Championship leader Karan Patel has been declared the winner of Nanyuki Rally 2022 following the disqualification of Raaji Singh Bharij.

Bharij, the 2009 Pirelli Star Driver finalist had won the Nanyuki Rally Group (NRG) leg after leading from start to finish but suffered the steward’s axe when the final classification of the rally was made official.

The Minti Motorsport crew of Bharij and Ravi Soni were reported to have failed to report at Time Control 6B at the end of the rally in breach of article 24.2 of National Competition rules of Kenya Motor Sport Federation (KMSF) whereby the verdict is a disqualification.

Stewards John Kamau (ASN) and Narir Yakub (Club) after receiving a protest from the crew of Car. No. 16 (Bharij) for failure to be classified in the provisional results, explained that the competitors heard and explained the circumstances under which they did not go through Time Control 6B Service Park Out.

Kamau said that the competitor (Bharij) explained that after service they asked an official how to get to parc ferme and they were shown the direction but that did not include going through the time control as per the itinerary.

Kamau added that the crew drove the car to parc ferme and from there the navigator walked to control 6B and handed in their time after getting a time.

The stewards informed the crew that they were obligated to drive their car through every time control as per Art. 34.2 of the NCRs which defines the requirement to follow the compulsory itinerary.

 “It is important that all crews follow the itinerary as provided with the roadbook. The decision to disqualify the crew was justified in the circumstances.

Certain decision

 “Competitors are reminded that they have the right to appeal certain decisions of the Stewards, as per Article 15 of the FIA International Sporting Code and Article 7.1.5 of the judicial rules (Kenya National Competition Rules),” Kamau added.

 Bharij had beaten Karan by a huge 05.12.4 minutes margin.

Following the changes which also included disqualification of second-placed Hamza Anwar and Jasmeet Chana moved to second position while homeboy Piers Daykin took third overall in a Datsun 280Z after.

Hamza was excluded for checking into a time control and then reentering the control after checking in to go to the parc ferme in breach of Article 40..5.2.

Daykin, who is a past Kenya navigators’ champion with Lee Rose, made all the experience and local knowledge count in the Nanyuki Rally Group round clocking a cumulative total of 1:54.46.3hours.

Champion Carl “Flash” Tundo moved up to fourth in his Triumph TR7 classic machine. Among the casualties in the event were Piero Canobbio, Sameer Nanji and Rio Smith among others.

Leonardo Varese won the Two Wheel Drive class ahead of longtime rival Daren Miranda.