East Africa’s rally scene witnessed a major shift over the weekend as 17-year-old Amaan Ganatra claimed overall victory at the 2026 Kenya National Rally Championship (KNRC) Round 1 at Stoni Athi Ranch.
Making his KNRC debut under Ganatra Racing, the teenager—navigated by Mudasar Chaudry in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX—clocked 1:52:03.1 across seven demanding stages to sweep the event and secure maximum points by winning the Power Stage.
After building an early lead on the opening loop, Ganatra managed his pace to protect the machine while holding off experienced contenders.
“The whole team put in a lot of work. To bring back such a result in my first KNRC event at a young age is a major achievement,” Ganatra told reporters in post-race interview. “After the first loop, the plan was just to keep it clean and bring the car home.”
Mombasa’s Javed Lota and co-driver Komaine Yakub (Subaru N10) finished second overall in 1:57:07.7 despite incurring a five-minute penalty for a missed junction, while Rajveer Thethy and James Mwangi (Subaru N12) completed the overall podium in 1:58:55.6.
Motorsport fans around East Africa monitoring regional talent, Ganatra’s spectacular debut highlights the growing influence of young drivers making immediate impacts in top-tier machinery across East Africa.
Round 2 of the KNRC is scheduled to return to Stoni Athi on September 19–20, 2026.
Key Rally Results:
1st: Amaan Ganatra / Mudasar Chaudry (Mitsubishi Evo IX) — 1:52:03.1
2nd: Javed Lota / Komaine Yakub (Subaru N10) — 1:57:07.7
3rd: Rajveer Thethy / James Mwangi (Subaru N12) — 1:58:55.6
