By KPC Sports Correspondent
Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally 2026 delivered high drama as Asas Team Ace driver Randeep Singh announced himself on the continental stage with a sensational third-place overall finish and victory in the National Rally Championship (NRC) category.
Driving the #111 Ford Fiesta Proto alongside Ugandan co-driver Enock Leroy Olinga, Randeep emerged as the surprise package of the rally, finishing behind only ARC winner Karan Patel and runner-up Samman Vohra.
Although not registered for African Rally Championship points, the Tanzanian star produced blistering pace throughout the event, clocking 02:07:02.5 after the SS12 Shell V-Power Stage — just 3:55.8 behind Patel’s winning Skoda Fabia Rally2.
The result saw Randeep finish ahead of several full ARC-spec entries, underlining the rapid rise of Asas Team Ace in African rallying.
“The idea to race in Uganda was simple,” Randeep said. “The stages here are world-class, and the competition is strong. We wanted to measure ourselves against the best. To win the NRC round and finish third overall is huge for us. We definitely want to have a go at the full Uganda NRC championship now.”
Asas Team fielded two cars in Mbarara, with Randeep’s sibling Manvir Birdi piloting a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9.
“Uganda is always a big challenge,” Birdi said. “The roads are fast, technical and rough. For Asas Team to put a car on the overall podium and win the national class shows the progress we’ve made. This is just the start for the team.”
The final standings highlighted Singh’s giant-killing run. He finished 1:27.6 ahead of Ugandan fan favourite Duncan Mubiru, who placed fourth in another Ford Fiesta Proto. Yasin Nasser brought his Ford Fiesta home in fifth, 5:53.0 behind Patel, while Aakif Virani was the next-best Skoda driver in sixth, 9:38.4 off the pace.
Hassan Alwi claimed seventh, while Umar Dauda finished eighth in a national-spec Mitsubishi. ARC regular Jasmeet Chana and ARC3 champion Nikhil Sachania completed the top 10 — both finishing behind Singh’s national-class Fiesta Proto.
For Randeep, the result was more than just a podium finish. It was a statement of intent against Africa’s best and a strong signal that Asas Team Ace is ready to compete beyond Tanzania.
Overall Results After SS12 Shell V-Power Stage
Karan Patel/Tauseef Khan – Skoda Fabia Rally2 ARC – 02:03:06.7
Samman Vohra/Drew Sturrock – Skoda Fabia Evo Rally2 ARC – 02:04:44.0 (+01:37.3)
Randeep Singh/Enock Leroy Olinga – Ford Fiesta Proto Nat – 02:07:02.5 (+03:55.8)
Duncan Mubiru/Siraj Kyambadde – Ford Fiesta Proto Nat – 02:08:30.1 (+05:23.4)
Yasin Nasser/Ali Katumba – Ford Fiesta Rally ARC – 02:08:59.7 (+05:53.0)
Aakif Virani/Zahir Shah – Skoda Fabia ARC – 02:12:45.1 (+09:38.4)
Hassan Alwi/Musa Nsubuga – Ford Fiesta Proto Nat – 02:13:27.1 (+10:20.4)
Umar Dauda/Steven Bunya – Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X Nat – 02:14:26.0 (+11:19.3)
Jasmeet Chana/Ravi Chana – Ford Fiesta Rally2 ARC – 02:16:02.4 (+12:55.7)
Nikhil Sachania/Deep Patel – Ford Fiesta Rally3 ARC – 02:19:21.3 (+16:14.6)