African Rally Championship

African Rally Championship

Category	Group N R5/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.

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 widely 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 Côte d'Ivoire. 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 Côte d'Ivoire was left off the 2024 calendar due to a 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 being able to participate.

• 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

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

• Official website
• FIA Africa Rally Championship sheet