# 2018 African Rally Championship

The 2018 African Rally Championship was the 38th season of the African Rally Championship (ARC), the FIA regional zone rally championship for the African continent. The season began on February 23 in the Côte d'Ivoire, and ended on October 7 in Rwanda, after seven events.
Skoda Fabia driver Manvir Singh Baryan won his second consecutive title. Baryan again won four of the seven rallies, taking victory in South Africa, Zambia, Uganda and Tanzania. Baryan won the title by 56 points over Mitsubishi Lancer driver, Italian-Kenyan Piero Cannobio who had only two top-three finishes amongst ARC competitors. Baryan's second title was the fourth consecutive title won by Kenyan drivers.

## Event calendar and results

There were seven rallies in the 2018 African Rally Championship. The only change from the 2017 schedule was the previously season-ending Zambia International Motor Rally moved from October to June, becoming the fourth round of the championship:
| Round | Rally name | Podium finishers | Podium finishers | Podium finishers | Podium finishers | Statistics | Statistics | Statistics | Statistics |
| Round | Rally name | Rank | Driver | Car | Time | Stages | Length | Starters | Finishers |
| 1 | Rallye Bandama - Côte d'Ivoire (23–25 February) | 1 | Gary Chaynes | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X | 2:20:59.9 | 12 | 231.25 km | 34 | 15 |
| 1 | Rallye Bandama - Côte d'Ivoire (23–25 February) | 2 | Jeremie Warnia | Yamaha YXZ 1000R | 2:28:07.2 | 12 | 231.25 km | 34 | 15 |
| 1 | Rallye Bandama - Côte d'Ivoire (23–25 February) | 3 | Stéphane Peterhansel | Yamaha YXZ 1000R | 2:30:28.3 | 12 | 231.25 km | 34 | 15 |
| 2 | Safari Rally (16–18 March) | 1 | Carl Tundo | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X | 1:55:05.8 | 9 | 187.61 km | 35 | 13 |
| 2 | Safari Rally (16–18 March) | 2 | Baldev Chager | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X | 2:04:34.2 | 9 | 187.61 km | 35 | 13 |
| 2 | Safari Rally (16–18 March) | 3 | Jas Mangat | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X | 2:05:27.3 | 9 | 187.61 km | 35 | 13 |
| 3 | York Rally (19–21 April) | 1 | Manvir Singh Baryan | Škoda Fabia R5 | 2:47:34.9 | 15 | 220.50 km | 30 | 17 |
| 3 | York Rally (19–21 April) | 2 | Guy Botterill | Toyota Etios R2 | 2:50:57.9 | 15 | 220.50 km | 30 | 17 |
| 3 | York Rally (19–21 April) | 3 | Matthew Vacy-Lyle | Toyota Etios R2 | 2:56:16.6 | 15 | 220.50 km | 30 | 17 |
| 4 | Gomes Zambia International Rally (22–24 June) | 1 | Manvir Singh Baryan | Škoda Fabia R5 | 2:38:26 | 16 | 218.54 km | 23 | 14 |
| 4 | Gomes Zambia International Rally (22–24 June) | 2 | Muna Singh, Jr. | Subaru Impreza STi N14 | 2:43:47 | 16 | 218.54 km | 23 | 14 |
| 4 | Gomes Zambia International Rally (22–24 June) | 3 | Ahmed Huwel | Ford Fiesta Proto | 2:46:07 | 16 | 218.54 km | 23 | 14 |
| 5 | Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally (20–22 July) | 1 | Manvir Singh Baryan | Škoda Fabia R5 | 2:26:03.5 | 10 | 210.98 km | 46 | 22 |
| 5 | Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally (20–22 July) | 2 | Ronald Sebuguzi | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X | 2:30:11.6 | 10 | 210.98 km | 46 | 22 |
| 5 | Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally (20–22 July) | 3 | Jas Mangat | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X | 2:37:05.1 | 10 | 210.98 km | 46 | 22 |
| 6 | Oryx Energies Rally of Tanzania (31 August–2 September) | 1 | Manvir Singh Baryan | Škoda Fabia R5 | 1:42:16 | 8 | 207.28 km | 27 | 15 |
| 6 | Oryx Energies Rally of Tanzania (31 August–2 September) | 2 | Randeep Singh Birdi | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX | 1:48:49 | 8 | 207.28 km | 27 | 15 |
| 6 | Oryx Energies Rally of Tanzania (31 August–2 September) | 3 | Kleevan Gomes | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX | 1:53:25 | 8 | 207.28 km | 27 | 15 |
| 7 | Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally (5–7 October) | 1 | Giancarlo Davite | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X | 2:00:07.0 | 11 | 178.60 km | 16 | 10 |
| 7 | Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally (5–7 October) | 2 | Rudy Cantanhede | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX | 2:02:14.1 | 11 | 178.60 km | 16 | 10 |
| 7 | Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally (5–7 October) | 3 | Jean-Claude Gakwaya | Subaru Impreza STi N11 | 2:12:16.0 | 11 | 178.60 km | 16 | 10 |

## Championship standings

The 2018 African Rally Championship points are as follows:
| Pos. | Driver | Vehicle | BAN | SAF | YOR | ZAM | PoA | TAN | RMG | Total |
| 1 | Manvir Singh Baryan | Škoda Fabia R5 | | Ret | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | | 100 |
| 2 | Piero Cannobio | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X | 2 | 13 | Ret | 5 | Ret | 3 | | 44 |
Key :
| Colour | Result |
| Gold | Winner |
| Silver | 2nd place |
| Bronze | 3rd place |
| Green | Points finish |
| Blue | Non-points finish |
| Blue | Non-classified finish (NC) |
| Purple | Did not finish (Ret) |
| Black | Excluded (EX) |
| Black | Disqualified (DSQ) |
| White | Did not start (DNS) |
| White | Cancelled (C) |
| Blank | Withdrew entry from the event (WD) |