Patel, Gatimu and Sachania raring to go at Safari Rally
Sports
By
Ochieng Oyugi
| Feb 11, 2026
Double African champion Karan Patel, paraplegic speedster Nikhil Sachania and promising young talent Tinashe Gatimu are all raring to go as preparations intensify for the 2026 WRC Safari Rally set for the scenic terrains of Naivasha town on March 12-15.
Patel is hopeful for a good show in the Safari this season, with a focus to net a three-peat in the African Rally Championship (ARC) where he has been a dominant force in the recent past.
His performance, locally and internationally, has inspired young Gatimu, who has upgraded from a Subaru Evo to a powerful Ford Fiesta Rally3 car ahead of the Naivasha showpiece.
"In the Safari, my basic target is still to bring the car home in one piece.This will be my fourth attempt and I'm glad that I'm gelling well with my mother Caroline who will still be my co-driver," Gatimu told Standard Sports at a ceremony in Nairobi yesterday where KCB Bank Kenya sponsored this year's WRC Safari Rally to a tune of Sh227 million.
Out of the funds, Sh100 million will go towards the championship logistics, while Sh28.5 million will be utilised by KCB-sponsored drivers Gatimu, Patel, Sachania, Queen Kalimpinya (Rwanda) and Oscar Ntambi (Uganda) to prepare for the rally.
The rest of the funds will be used for publicity and leverage ahead of the contest.
"We have planned for several test drives before we head for Naivasha. Upgrading from a Subaru to a Ford Fiesta R3 too has motivated me to go for the jugular, both in the Safari and in the ARC," Gatimu noted.
The Strathmore University student had a brief stint in the ARC last season, taking part in the Rwandan Gorilla leg, where she came home with vital lessons.
"Now that I have acquired a very powerful road warrior in the name of a Ford Fiesta R3, we have planned to take part in all the ARC leg this year, and our target is to win the continental showdown, so we believe Safari Rally will prepare us for the tasks remaining in the course of the year," said Gatimu.
Sachania said he is headed to the Safari to defend his Rally3 category, a position that he will also be out to guard in the ARC this year.
"Last season was a good outing in the Safari; my co-driver Deep Patel and I came home with trophies, and that is what we will be out for this year," said Sachania.
Patel noted that Fesh Fesh or the dreaded knee-high volcanic dust, synonymous with tough terrains like the historic Kedong stretch, is his greatest nightmare in the Safari.
"I'm working hard to overcome that, hopefully my Ford Fiesta Rally2 does the magic in Naivasha this year," said Patel who is also on a diet and an elaborate gym session to align himself well for the rally.
While hailing the five drivers they are sponsoring, KCB Group CEO Paul Russo said: "Our support for local talent, and stimulating economic activity across tourism demonstrates our commitment to driving sustainable impact, trade, and enterprise among other sectors."
"We are looking at continually building on our experience and scale in sports sponsorships across East Africa to further support talent for global, regional and in-country competitions across disciplines."