By Mwambazi Lawrence
Samman Vohra and co-driver Drew Sturrock delivered a masterclass performance on day one of the Rally International du Burundi 2025, winning all nine stages in commanding fashion. Behind the wheel of their Skoda Fabia, the pair clocked a blistering total time of 1:14:52, building a massive 7 minutes 38 seconds lead over their closest rivals.
In second place sit Africa Rally Championship (ARC) leaders Yasin Nasser and Ali Katumba in their Ford Fiesta R5. The Ugandan crew adopted a calculated and cautious strategy, prioritising championship points over a head-to-head fight with Vohra. Their measured approach keeps them on track to maintain the ARC lead should they secure the runner-up position.
Burundi’s own Roshnali Mohammed, co-driven by Bigirimana Christophe, thrilled the home crowd by securing third overall in their Subaru Impreza GVB. They ended the day with a time of 1:28:29, placing them ahead of another Subaru crew, Massoud Fahd and Yunus Mohamed, who enjoyed a trouble-free run to fourth with 1:31:26.
Rounding off the top five are Faidah Philbert and Guy Malherbe in a Subaru Impreza, finishing in 1:34:26, while Valery Bokera and Khetia Nital trail just behind in sixth place, piloting their Subaru N12.
Day 1 Results: Top 10
- Samman Vohra/Drew Sturrock – 1:14.52
- Yasin Naser / Ali Katumba -1:22.30
- Mohammed Roshanali/Bigirimana Christophe – 1:28.29
- Massoud Fahd/Yunus Mohamed – 1:31.26
- Faida Philbert/Guy Malherbe – 1:34.26
- Valery Bokera/Khetia Nital: 1:53.22
- Nkurunziza Lionel/Muremeshangabo Armel-2:14.07
- Awandin Alim/Ndibandetse Cedric – 2:15.39
- Awikunda D Prime/Musafiri Charly – 2:16.28
- Azaad Adeel/Haem Alexandre – 2:19.38
With six competitive stages left to run tomorrow, the battle is far from over. While Vohra appears in a league of his own for the rally win, the real tension lies in how the results could reshape the ARC championship standings. By the end of tomorrow, the championship picture will be much clearer, and the stakes have never been higher.
