Zimbabwe Challenge entry list (Seeded order)

1. J. Whyte/P. Archenoul   (Zim), Subaru
2. C. Rautenbach/N. Klinger  (Zim), Ford Fiesta
3. C. Green/M. Exton   (Zim), Evo 8
4. G. Davite/S. Vindevogel  (Rwanda), Subaru
5. C. Attwell/M. Skinner   (Zim), Subaru
6. M. Singh/D. Sihoka   (Zambia), Subaru
7. M. Essa/M. Matovu   (Zambia), Subaru
8. J. Watson/S. Watson   (Zim), Lancer
9. S. Burger /A. Toit   (S. Africa), Evo 10
10. R. Robinson/C. Schreiber  (Zim), Evo 8
11. S. Haddon/D. Milner   (Zim), Evo 4
12. B. Chitima/A. Chamunokara  (Zim), Lancer
13. S. Evans/M. Thornicroft  (Zim), Evo 6
14. I. Howden/G. Kirk   (Zim), Evo 6
15. R. Whyte/C. Archenoul  (Zim), Subaru WRX
16. L. Marufu/C. Ashdown  (Zim), Toyota Corolla
17. R. Parsell/G. Chitepo  (Zim), Subaru WRX
18. M.Yorke/S. Murton   (Zim), Toyota Corolla

DAVITE Giancarlo wants to go a notch better in this year’s FIA Africa Rally Championship (ARC).

The two-time national rally champion finished behind Zimbabwe’s Jamie Whyte last year but knows that a good start in this weekend’s Toyota Zimbabwe Challenge Rally will give him a perfect launch pad.

Giancarlo and his co-driver Sylvia Vindevogel touched down in Harare yesterday and will have their first reccing session today.

Driving his Subaru Impreza, the Rwandan will come up against ARC’s defending champion Whyte, former African champion Conrad Rautenbach, South Africa’s Schalk Burger and the Zambian duo of Muna Singh and Mohammed Essa among others.

Last year, Giancarlo and Whyte were neck to neck until the Zambia rally when the former crushed out to hand the initiative to the Zimbabwean. Giancarlo finished with 104 points, 76 points behind Whyte.

The Zimbabwe Challenge is the opening round of the 2011 ARC series and will be followed by South Africa (April 15-17), Zambia (May 20-23), Kenya (June 17-19), Uganda (July 15-17), Tanzania (September 2-4), Rwanda (September 30 to October 2) and Madagascar (November 25-27).

Ends