Davite targets ARC crown in Dar

RWANDA’S rally champion Giancarlo Davite is targeting a Tanzania win to maintain his lead position in the Africa Rally Championship as the Puma Energy’s African Rally Championship raves off on June 14 to 16 in Dar-es-Salaam. It is the fourth edition on the ARC calendar. Speaking to Times Sport yesterday, Davite said that he will work hard during the Tanzania rally because a win in Dar es Salaam will give him an edge going into the remaining rallies. “I am going to Dar es salaam ready to win but I need to work hard to ensure that I maintain the lead position. I am ready to fight and defend the first ARC position,” he said. “Our aim as Gianca team is to go to Tanzania and get another 25 points and be in the lead ahead of the Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Madagascar ARC rallies,” added Davite. The national champion, fresh from winning the Huye Challenge rally last month singled out Zambia’s Mohammed Essa as his greatest threat in the championship, saying the Zambian driver is young and fast. The 50-year-old driver said he is concentrating on picking up maximum points during the Tanzanian championship and that his performance would determine his chances. “I guess my threat is Mohammed Essa, he is young and fast and he has a new car. We have to do the best, especially in Tanzania,” Davite, who described the Tanzania Puma rally as being tough but had good routes, said. Davite leads the FIA ARC log on 33 points and is followed by Jassy Singh on 30 points with Zambia’s Mohammed Essa now tied on 25 points together with Eric Pages of Ivory Coast and South Africa’s Jan Habig, who were jointly leading the log before the Zambian rally that counted as the third round this season. The event, which counts towards the continental championship for the 2013 season, has so far attracted record entries hitting 25 including seven foreigners. Other foreign drivers expected are Jassy Singh of South Africa, Jas Mangat of Uganda, who is sixth on the log with 15 points, Fitidis Christakis from Uganda and Jaspreet Chatthe of Kenya. Most of the domestic-based drivers have registered to compete in the event though they are not seeking the ARC points. No driver has won back-to-back ARC titles ever since Tanzania secured the opportunity to stage the ARC event. 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. The flagging off would be preceded by tight scrutiny of the cars and validation of documents, particularly competition licenses.

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Davite targets ARC crown in Dar