Karan Patel is a name that echoes with respect and admiration across the Ugandan rally scene. A fierce competitor with an unmatched drive, Patel returns to the Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally as the defending champion a title he has claimed twice, first piloting a Ford Fiesta R5 and most recently, mastering the terrain with a Škoda Fabia R5.
Name: Karan Patel
Country: Kenya
Co-driver: Tauseef Khan
Car: Škoda Fabia R5
Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally Previous Performances:
• 2024 – 1st
• 2023 – DNS
• 2022 – 10th
Patel is not just any champ, he’s a two-time African Rally Champion. Patel has proven time and again that he is a force to be reckoned with. His romance with co-driver Tauseef Khan has delivered more synchronised performances than a TikTok dance crew. But even the greats have off days—his 2025 season started like a horror movie, getting swallowed alive by Camp Moran’s dreaded fesh-fesh..
The 2025 season, however, didn’t start as planned for Patel, after he was forced to retire during the opening round at the Kenya Safari Rally, where he got bogged down in the infamous Camp Moran fesh-fesh. Now, with renewed focus and fire in his eyes, he heads into the Pearl looking to reclaim momentum and set the tone for his title defence.
Will the Ugandan stages bow once again to the Kenyan maestro? Only time will tell but one thing is certain: Karan Patel is back, and he’s not here to play.
