Karan Patel a.k.a ‘Toto Moto’, the 2022 Kenya National Regional Champion, runners-up in the African Rally Championship, and winner of the top prize in the Kenya Motor Sports Federation is back!
He retired prematurely last year as he had a few technical issues but as of the upcoming World Rally Championship that is set to kick off on the 22nd June 2023, Karan says that he is fully prepared, ready, and set for the race.
During an interview, he said, “We will treat Safari as any other rally; the preparations have been very good and our preparedness has been adequate for the event. It is going to be a tough few days for us as drivers because this time we will be competing against top drivers in our category so definitely the car will be pushed a bit harder than usual which I think is a good thing because having been winning quite consistently in our region for a while, it will be nice to see what it takes to push a little harder and get to the next level of driving.”
He will face stars like Oliver Solberg and five-time Safari Rally Champion Carl Tundo. Patel went on to say that it would be nice to win the category but the competition is stiff. There are very good drivers like Martin Prokop, Kajetanowicz, Oliver Solberg, and a few more driving RS vehicles. He also noted that they are more experienced than him in their abilities and skills so it would be nice to be ranked as high as they are if not beating them.
He added, “I would not mind being a few seconds below their pace, but I have no pressure on my shoulders, and I don’t have to prove anything to anyone so I will drive my race and do my best. At this point and then we will see what the results are and see what we need to do to improve on that.” He promised to win and make it to the podium in this upcoming race.
Many Kenyans are set to travel to Naivasha to watch the annual event as it never disappoints. Businesses are set to rake in millions this weekend as a large number of enthusiastic fans flock to see the race.