Zambian rally ace Jassy Singh is confident he can win the Africa Rally Championship title by finishing ahead of his major opponent Jas Mangat in the Madagascar rally that takes centre stage this weekend.
The Zambian who sits second in the ARC title standings with 81 points just two behind Uganda’s Mangat praised his opponent but believes he can emulate the Chipolopolo who against all odds won the 2012 Africa Nations Cup title.
“Mangat is a very good driver, no doubt about that, and beating him will not be easy, but I have all it takes to take him down. The same way the Chipolopolo went to the 2012 Africa Cup and took down Ivory Coast, that is how we will take down Mangat,” a confident Jassy said.
On the route, the Zambian said that it’s a bit different from the straights of East Africa but rough and rocky.
“Day-One Reece done. Roads are rough and rocky; good thing for us is there are no long, boring straights like those in East Africa. It’s a bit twisty, has plenty descents and climbing up to do, but it’s all good for us,” he said.
The Madagascar rally has attracted a number of high profile drivers across the continent but the battle for the ARC will be between only two people; Mangat and Jassy since Rwanda’s Giancarlo Davite who had an outside chance of beating the duo didn’t register.
Singh will aim at following in the footsteps of his family members as his grandfather Satwat Singh won seven titles in 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1997, 1998, 2000 while his father Muna Singh won it twice in 2004 and 2005.
Mangat will be cruising a borrowed Subaru N12B which last year’s champions Mohammad Essa used to win the title while Singh will use Subaru N10.
Amazingly, it’s the same Subaru that his father used to win the title in 2004 and 2005.
The Madagascar rally is the seventh and last event on the Africa Rally Championship calendar.
