WE RR UNSTOPPABLE: 4 wins in 5 months- is Rajiv Ruparelia, rally’s new wunderkind?

Yesterday, Saturday, October 26^th, 2019 Rajiv Ruparelia (Team RR) won the fifth round of the autocross/Enduro championship held in Kalangala.  

Rajiv, navigated by  Enoch Olinga posted a combined total of 7.25 in the two heats, a good 10 seconds ahead of his closest rival- Andy Musoke (7:35) and 21 seconds ahead of Jonas Kansiime’s 7:46.

Rajiv’s win exactly 5 months after he debuted into rallying with his purpose-built Polish-built Volkswagen Polo WRC Proto Car, on Sunday May 26^th Enduro and 4×4 Challenge Championship hosted at Zion Estate, is more significant in more ways than one.

At the time, Rajiv, who had just returned from the Rallystar Academy in South Africa for specialised rally training by veteran Leone Botha clocked 10:44 minutes, just 40 seconds behind a more experienced Ronald Ssebuguzi, who came first with 10:04.  In the third place was Jonas Kansiime who clocked 10:54 minutes while, Edwin Kalule came 4^th having clocked 11:04 minutes.

But that was then- both Ronald Sebuguzi and Jonas Kansiime have since severally fallen victim to Rajiv’s daredevil driving skills- not once or twice- but thrice and in just 5 months. 

Fresh from the Zion Estate, Rajiv under his ‘RR – Double Trouble’ has gone on to win  both the  Federation of Motorsport Clubs of Uganda (FMU) Autocross championship in Kayunga in June and the Mosac Autocross Championship in Kapeeka, in August.  

On October 20^th, Rajiv again won the third stage of Total-sponsored 2019 Kabalega Rally, National Rally Championship in Hoima, beating 39 competitors who took part in the race.

Some of the stars who fell under Rajiv’s accelerator peddle, include Yain Nassser, Arthur Blick, Ronald Sebuguzi and Duncan Mubiru.  

And it is not a year yet- all writings are on the wall; a new star has been born!

He is young enough- just 29 years. He has the best training money can buy on the continent and just the right machines.

Thanks to the wins and his spinning antics on the track, the fan base is growing too- with his father, billionaire, Dr. Sudhir Ruparelia being probably his number 2 fan, after his wife, Naiya.