Davite eye Puma Tanzania rally success

RWANDA’S rally champion Giancarlo Davite is among twenty drivers who have confirmed to compete in this year’s fourth African rally championship round, Tanzania Puma Energy Rally set to flag off in Dar es Salaam on June 14 .Seven of the entries include title holder Mohamed Essa and Jas Singh from Zambia, Rwanda’s Davite, Uganda duo of Jas Mangat and Christakis Fitidis and Kenyan Don Smith.Davite believes the Dar es Salaam leg is crucial to earn points that would improve his position in the race towards the continental title at the end of the season.The national champion says reigning Africa Rally Championship (ARC) holder Mohammed Essa is a big threat in the race for the 2013 title.The 50-year-old driver said Essa, who won the title last year, is very fast and focused.The 23-year-old Zambian driver gave him a torrid time in the 2013 Puma Energy Zambia International Rally. “Essa is a big threat. He is very young, good and was very fast in his new car. Our aim in this race was to maintain the second position because we knew he was going to get it on his home soil,” he said.Giancarlo is leading the ARC race on 33 points with Zambia’s Jassy Singh commanding second position on 30 points, while Essa is in joint third place on 25 points with five more rounds remaining.Essa is sharing points with Eric Pages of Ivory Coast and Jan Habig of South Africa. Both could not compete in the Zambian leg.Davite, however, said the race for this year’s title is still open. He said his aim is to win this year’s title after finishing second in 2010 and 2012.Davite can only win this year’s African rally championship title if he aims for the best in the remaining stages in Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda.The two legged rally is expected to cover a distance of over 300 kilometres mostly in Dar es Salaam and Coast Region areas. The starting and finishing point will be at the Tazara Railway Station.

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Davite eye Puma Tanzania rally success