Nikhil Sachania has acquired a brand new Ford Fiesta Rally 3 Car, four months after he crashed his Mitsubishi Evo X during the 2024 WRC Safari Rally. The driver, alongside his navigator Deep Patel, received a Ksh. 5 million boost from KCB Bank in the acquisition of the new ride, a move that is expected to boost their future race performances.
This new acquisition replaces his Mitsubishi Evo X, the vehicle he raced with for 7 years. The car also gave him a podium finish at the 2023 WRC Safari Rally when he finished third under the Kenya National Rally Championship (KNRC) and 19th overall.
Sachania, who is the only paraplegic driver in Africa, will be competing under Rally 3 category in the custom-built car with no foot pedals. Instead, the pedals for acceleration and braking are operated by hand. The operation of his hand-controlled vehicle encompasses a simple push-and-pull exercise, push for breaking and pull for acceleration.
Speaking during the unveiling of the car, Sachania said, “Motorsports is an expensive sport. After the unfortunate accident during the Safari Rally, we made a commitment that we would return to the sport. Acquiring this car would not have been possible without the support of KCB Bank. I am grateful to them and I look forward to racing with the new car. After testing it a few times we have gone out, the car feels good and more competitive than the Evo X.”
Speaking for KCB, Nkatha Mutungi, Head of Integrated Marketing at KCB said, “At KCB, we firmly believe in talent that is why we have invested heavily in sports sponsorships over the years in line with our brand purpose For People. For Better., anchored on opening doors of opportunities to anyone, anywhere and anytime. Nikhil is like family to us, which is why we do not wish to see his rallying career cut short. We want to see him on the tracks in various competitions. We have made deliberate efforts to bring this to fruition.”