LOCAL rally driver Davite Giancarlo has confirmed he will participate in this year’s Africa Rally Championship which is scheduled to start next month with the Toyota Zimbabwe Challenge Rally.

Giancarlo told Times Sport yesterday, "I will compete in this year’s Africa Rally Championship, beginning with the Zimbabwe rally.”

The Italian born rally ace added that he is looking forward to a successful year were he will compete in other competitions like the national championship and the East African rally challenge respectively.

Last year, Giancarlo came third in Toyota Zimbabwe Challenge Rally behind Zimbabweans Conrad Rautenbach and James Whyte.

This year’s rally season starts in the weekend of March 16-18 with the Zimbabwe Challenge Rally.The Sasol Rally South Africa will follow in as the second round of the Africa rally championship and set for April 19-21.

Zambia international rally will be the third round of the championship and has been scheduled for May 11-13 in Lusaka while the KCB Safari Rally has been set for June 8-10.

The Kenyan rally will be followed by KCB Pearl of Africa rally which will be held in Kampala and Mpigi in the weekend of July 13-15 with the Tanzania Kobil rally due on August 24-26.

The Madagascar international rally is the last round of the Africa rally championship which has been set for November 16-18.

Last year, the KCB Mountain Gorilla Rally was held in October with Jean Yves Ranarivelo of Madagascar emerging victorious. Giancarlo, 2009 Rwanda champion, in a Subaru N11 stopped the clocks second albeit falling behind Ranarivelo by over five minutes. Burundi’s Valery Bukera in a similar contraption filled the final podium spot in 3hrs 38mins 38secs.

Christakis Fitidis, Rwanda’s National Champion, in a Subaru N12 finished fourth ahead of Ranarivelos compatriot Frederik Rakatomanga to make it a top five all Subaru affair.