Manveer emerges winner of National Rally Championship
Fuchs Titan Rally Team driver Manveer Birdi competes in a past event. Birdi emerged at the top in the 2024 National Rally Championship (NRC) which climaxed on Sunday in Arusha. PHOTO | COURTESY
What you need to know:
- Despite finishing sixth in the recently concluded Guru Nanak Rally in Arusha, Manveer, navigated by Zubayr Piredina, secured the championship thanks to his strong points tally from earlier races.
Dar es Salaam. Fuchs Titan Rally Team driver Manveer Birdi has clinched the 2024 National Rally Championship (NRC) title, marking a significant milestone in his career.
Despite finishing sixth in the recently concluded Guru Nanak Rally in Arusha, Manveer, navigated by Zubayr Piredina, secured the championship thanks to his strong points tally from earlier races.
This victory is particularly rewarding for Manveer, who missed out on the title last season.
He completed the Guru Nanak Rally in a time of 02:06:53.1, a solid performance in a race that saw nine competitors fail to finish due to various challenges.
“I am happy to win silverware in this competition,” Birdi said on the phone. “When you compete, your focus is always on the top position. My mission and vision have been accomplished,” he added.
The championship standings also placed Gurpal Sandhu of Arusha in second overall, despite his fifth-place finish in the Guru Nanak Rally. Like Birdi, Sandhu benefited from consistent performances throughout the season to secure his spot as the runner-up.
The Guru Nanak Rally itself was a thrilling competition, with Randeep Singh of the Birdi Rally Team emerging victorious. Singh posted an impressive time of 01:53:25.3, securing first place in the event. Uganda’s Yasin Nasser of the Moil Rally Team claimed second place after clocking 01:54:07.3, while seasoned Kenyan driver Ian Duncan finished third, clocking 01:54:39.3.
Notable driver Ahmed Huwel of the Mkwawa Rally Team was placed fourth overall in the event. Other finishers with their positions into brackets included Rajpal Dhani (7th), Prince Nyerere (8th), Mandeep Dhani (9th), Binesh Haria (10th), Charles Bocco (11th), and Himid Mbatta, also from the Mkwawa Rally Team, who was 12th.
However, nine drivers failed to complete the challenging rally due to various mechanical and other issues.
They include Vishal Patel, Ethan Taylor, Shanto Nahdi, Amritpal Sandhu, Gurjit Dhani, Ajminder Dhani, Sameer Nanji (Kenya), Jasmeet Chana (Kenya), and Zanel Somji. Birdi’s victory reaffirms his position as the top competitor in Tanzanian motorsport and sets high expectations for the 2025 season.
