Mohammed Essa opens up a 16-second lead as Muna Singh takes second position
By Ignatius Mazeko
ZAMBIAN champion Mohammed Essa has established a much healthier lead in the 476.54-kilomemtre 32nd Zambia International Rally breaking further away from the chasing pack with a 16-second cushion.
The 21-year-old Essa who led with just a second after the twice run super special stage on Friday at the Lusaka Motor Club (LMC) in the Showgrounds in Lusaka has now amassed an extended lead with a time of 1:49:18 from 10 stages.
The son of former driver Khalid Essa, helped Ugandan caretaker co-driver Moses Matovu in a Madison Subaru Impreza N11 used some youth exuberance flying over jumps and negotiating bends with abandoned ease as the Chisamba natives applauded.
Essa, who was running car number one, complained on arrival at the Service Park in Fringilla for lunch break service after four stages that he had to stop in the 33-km Chaloshi/ MSF fifth stage after encountering a bunting.
The youngster, who was second fastest in the stage, 11 seconds slower than Team Madison Racing mates Muna Singh and Dave Sihoka in a sister Subaru N10, however, said despite being slowed he was geared to claim his maiden Zambia International title.
“Yesterday we were leading by a second but today it has gone to more than 10 seconds, this shows that we are doing fine,” he said.
Essa said he was waiting for the organisers to take action about misplaced bunting which was missed by the Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA) Zero car after because of an overshoot.
“Tomorrow I want to push harder, I think this is my year to win the Zambia International Rally, with due respect to the other crews,” he said.
Defending champion, the 2004 and 2004 FIA African Rally Championship (ARC) winner Muna and Sihoka sneaked into second position taking over from African champions, Zimbabwean Jamie Whyte and Philip Archenoul who were relegated into third position as early as the first stage of the day, Old.
Muna who timed 1:49:34 said he broke one of his windows and had to contend with some dust in the car but is still hopeful of overturning the tables tomorrow when crews tackle four stages on Chaloshi, Morning Side and Westage farms.
The former African champion, who won last year’s championship on the last day after trailing Essa, promised to repeat the feat more so that his car is now powered by a Prodrive-built engine.
“So far so good, we didn’t have too many problems like we had on Friday. Some branches on the way broke our window but everything is fine,” he said.
Whyte, who was in second position with just a second behind the Zambian youngster after yesterday’s Super Special Stage at the Lusaka Moro Club (LMC) in the Showgrounds dropped to 47 seconds off the pace in third position.
The veteran Zimbabwean, at the wheels of a Prodrive-built Subaru N10, thwarted any questions from the media as he was personally involved in the service of his car after the first day proceedings came to a close.
Other Zambians Paul Monge and Ray Thornicroft (Subaru N12B) finished fourth with a time of 1:55:07 to close the top four competitive bracket ahead of Monze-based Ken ‘Ntengwa mubuli’ Mukosa and Nash Chisenga (Subaru N8) who claimed third position.
Rwandese and FIA-ARC title contender Giancarlo Davite and Sylvia Vindevogel (Subaru N11) were the first major casualty to retire after tumbling out in the 12.51-km Kamilonga third stage.
They damaged the wheel and drive shaft of their Subaru N11 after the rear left hit into a tree, a kilometre before the end of the 12.51-km Kamilonga third stage this morning.
A visibly disappointed Davite, who was challenging Whyte for the African title, said he would enter SupeRally tomorrow and quashed out a trip to Zimbabwe next month for the Toyota Zimbabwe Challenge, the sixth and final tier of this year’s African series.
“What next...? Is to go back home,” he said.
The Rwanda champions were joined on the casualty list by Ashish Patel and Mali Chulu (Subaru N6), brother Geoffrey and Lastone Chulu (Toyota Corolla), Jassy Singh and Liam Jolly (VW Golf 3) and Dani Beaini and Adrian Sutherland (Toyota Landcruiser).
Patel, who is one of the four crews to retire from the rally, equally said he would go for SupeRally if he fixes the gearbox of his Subaru N6 that ceased in the 15-km Old second stage this morning.
He said he was thwarted after losing gear three which broke and in the process ceasing the entire gearbox.
Muna’s son, Jassy, on the other hand, suffered his second successive retirement when his VW Golf 3 misfired on transport from Service in transit for the 12.05-km GM fourth stage.
The 17-year-old Jassy, co-driven by fellow youngster Jolly, had a good run recording ninth fastest times before retiring.
“It was smooth; there were no problems before the misfiring started. It 110 percent before that,” Jassy said.
Beaini and Sutherland enter the rally this morning via SupeRally after being slapped with five minute penalty plus the fastest stage time of 1:33 recorded by Essa on the second run of yesterday’s super special spectator stage.
Today the rally takes four stages within the Fringilla Farm block before the crews head for the Ramp Finish at the InterContinental Hotel in Lusaka.
Classified results
1. Mohammed Essa/ Moses Matovu (Subaru N11) 1:49:18
2. Muna Singh/ Dave Sihoka (Subaru N10) 1:49:34
3. Jamie Whyte/ Philip Archenoul (Subaru N10) 1:50:05
4. Paul Monge/ Ray Thornicroft (Subaru N12B) 1:55:07 - ZMSA
