“I’ll be back; and stronger,” vows Rajiv after Day 2 breakdown in Mbarara rally By the time he crashed, Rajiv who won day one of the rally was beating his closest rival Ponsiano Lwakataka by 44 seconds and 50 microseconds and a whole 3 minutes, 4 seconds and 50 microseconds ahead of Duncan Mubiru, the eventual winner of the rally.

Rajiv Ruparelia Team has vowed an even stronger come back in the next National Rally Championship Race, following what the team called a “technical difficulty” that made them “unable to complete the 2nd last stage of Day 2 in Mbarara.”

In a statement released today afternoon, the team assured their fans that both, “The Driver, Rajiv Ruparelia and Navigator, Enoch Olinga are in good condition.

“We would like to officially thank all the fans, RR Team, organisers, and sponsors for the full support of the well-organised Rukaari Mbarara Rally 2020. We hope to come back even stronger,” read the brief statement.

Rajiv’s Polo WRC Proto Car suffered a major breakdown on one of the hind tires, eventually crippling him out of the race during super stage 4 of 5 stages on day two of the rally.Provisional_Results-images

By the time he crashed, Rajiv was ahead of the pack winning 2 of the 3 stages he participated in and beating his closest rival Ponsiano Lwakataka by a combined 3-stage total of 44 seconds and 50 microseconds. At the time he was forced out of the race by the technical breakdown, he was also a wide 3 minutes, 4 seconds and 50 microseconds ahead of Duncan Mubiru, the eventual winner of the rally.

Lwakataka too, would later crush out during stage five, paving way for Duncan Mubiru to win the rally.

Rajiv and his co-driver, Enock Olinga, easily won day one too, triumphing at 2 of 3 stages, bagging a total race time of 13 minutes, 17 seconds and 74 microseconds, in the NRC season opener.

This was 13 seconds ahead of Ponsiano Lwakataka / Paul Musaazi who came second, with 13:31.04, followed by Duncan Mubiru / Musa Nsubuga (13:55.86); Ronald Sebuguzi / Anthony Mugamba (13:56.24) and Omar Mayanja / Hussein Mukuye (14:23.84).

The reigning NRC champion Yasin Nasser, last season’s event winner Jas Mangat as well as 2015 champion Arthur Blick are notably missing at this year’s season-opening rally.

Although Rajiv entered rallying late in May 2019, the 30-year old Rajiv Ruparelia has already made a mark on the rallying scene. The fans are exhilarated; they want more of the young man.

His purpose-made Polish-built Polo WRC Proto Car- that is now all so familiar on the track and in the headlines, complemented by his sheer guts, superfast flying antics have been a spectacle to be behold on many a race track last season- from Sisa to Kayunga; from Kapeeka to Kalangala and then Hoima.

In an interview with CEO EA Magazine last year, an upbeat Rajiv said that following a successful debut in 2019, all eyes are on winning the NRC Challenge this 2020.

“Next year, the NRC is ours. Mark my word,” he said.