Mohammed Essa Wins Debut Zambia Rally Title

Zambia’s Mohammed Essa this afternoon scooped the drama-packed Puma Energy Zambia International Rally to open up a 27-point lead in the eight-legged FIA African Rally Championship (ARC).

The Puma energy Zambia International Rally is the third round of this year’s African championship after the Toyota Zimbabwe Challenge and the Sasol Rally South Africa held in March and April respectively.

The 22-year-old Essa, who started the day two minutes 39 seconds down in second position, took the laurels in the very opening stage of the day, SS12, when overnight leader Giancarlo Davite of Rwanda retired his Subaru Impreza N11 after the drive shaft gave up.

Essa timed two hours 55 minutes five seconds in his recently acquired Prodrive-built Madison/ Puma Energy Subaru N12B to win his maiden Zambia International Rally on his sixth outing in this annual rally having come close to victory during the 2009 and 2012 editions.

Muna Singh’s 19-year-old son Jassy put up a gallant fight aboard his father’s Net One Technologies Subaru N10 to finish second with a time of 03:03:31 seconds and was followed by Zimbabwean Jamie Whyte who suffered a 10 minutes penalty for taking a shortcut on stage 12 to finish on 03:10:44 seconds.

Zambian Azim Ticklay grabbed fourth position on 03:31:27 seconds ahead of countrymen Dani Beaini on 03:40:22 seconds and Muna’s 17-year-old son Muna jr. who settled for sixth position on 04:04:48 in his second rally while Massimo Sellicato took seventh place on 04:20:56 seconds.

A delighted Essa said he was pleased by winning the rally and thanked his sponsors Madison Insurance Company Zambia (MGen) and Puma Energy Zambia for the support while Davite, who remains on 22 points, said crashing out was part of the rally.

The Italian-born Davite said he would be heading for the Safari Rally a charged up driver and was optimistic of increasing his points tally in the African championship.

Essa overcame two scares today when the front sump guard of his car was smashed by a rock he landed on and uprooted after taking a jump in the notorious 24.67-km Chartonel SS12 that also claimed Davite, Zambians Paul ‘Poncho’ Monge and Imran Ticklay also aboard Subarus.

Like yesterday, the 2009 and 2010 Zambian champion lost another five minutes in the 14.62-km Bull SS16 when he did almost the entire stage and the full Waterfall 7.45km SS17 on a flat tyre.

Seven drivers finished the rally from 14 starters as Essa, who is contesting full African championship circuit this year, now shifts his attention to the continent’s fourth round, the KCB Safari Rally Kenya set for Nairobi in three weeks time. ©ZMSA

Puma Energy Zambia International Rally official final results

1. Mohammed Essa 02:55:04

2. Jassy Singh +08:27

3. Jamie Whyte +15:40

4. Azim Ticklay +36:23

5. Dani Beaini +45:18

6. Muna Singh jr +1:09:44

7. Massimo Sellicato +1:25:52

Retired: Monge (centre diff), Davite (gearbox), Imran, Robinson, Mangat (front suspension), Mohammed Salim (front suspension), Patel (electrical), Simakoloyi (did not start rally)