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weekend’s Zambia International Rally when he swept to victory in the HMC Hencom Autobody Rally in South Africa at the weekend.
After settling for third place in last month’s Sasol Rally, Rautenbach returned to the South African motor rallying scene with a vengeance at the weekend to win the HMC Hencom Autobody Rally.
The rally was the third round of the 2011 South African Rally Championship series in which Rautenbach has now chalked up two wins after three rounds of racing.
He started off his campaign in the series by emerging victorious in the season-opener – the Total Tour Natal Rally – which was held in KwaZulu Natal towards the end of March.
He consolidated his lead at the top of the South African Rally Championship series by taking a credible third place finish in the Sasol Rally in Nelspruit on April 16.
The Sasol Rally was the second round of both the 2011 FIA African Rally Championship and the South African Rally Championship series.
And after finishing third in the Sasol Rally, Rautenbach returned home to Zimbabwe to “recharge his batteries” ahead of this last weekend’s HMC Hencom Autobody Rally in Mpumalanga.
All eyes were on Rautenbach before the start of the race in Mpumalanga on Friday afternoon and the young Zimbabwean driver lived up to his pre-race favourite billing by sweeping the opposition aside in the two-day rally.
Rautenbach, who snatched a dramatic 2.5 seconds win on the penultimate stage of the third round of the South African Rally Championship, has now extended his overall lead in the title chase to 18 points.
At the weekend, Rautenbach laid down the gauntlet to his South African rally championship rivals when he literally stole the HMC rally from the similar Ford Fiesta of Charl Wilken to win his second rally of the year as he consolidated his championship lead in a dramatic event that saw the top three finishers swap places in each of the last three special stages.
Johnny Gemmell was third in the factory Team Castrol Toyota under a second clear of Jannie Habig’s BP VW Polo.
The weekend’s victory in Mpumalanga left Rautenbach still sitting pretty at the top of the South African championship standings with two wins after the first three rounds of the series.
And the talented Zimbabwean driver will now head out to Lusaka, Zambia, for this coming weekend’s Zambia International Rally brimming with confidence.
The Zambia International Rally is the third round of the 2011 FIA African Rally Championship in which Rautenbach is leading in the series’ Drivers’ Standings with 50 points, 17 ahead of his nearest rival, fellow Zimbabwean Jamie Whyte.
And Rautenbach told the Times of Zambia yesterday that his goal is to win every rally he enters including this coming weekend’s Zambia International Rally.
Rautenbach, winner of the Zambia and African titles in 2007, said his G-Fuel Ford Fiesta S2000 was quicker than the Group N cars being used by two top Zambian drivers Muna Singh, Mohammed Essa and most ARC-registered drivers.
The 26-year-old Rautenbach warmed up for his third Zambia International Rally appearance by winning the HMC Hencom Autobody Rally, the third round of the South African Rally Championship, on Saturday in Mpumalanga.
“Our target is to win, every rally we enter we try to win or else what’s the point? We will have to see the roads after recce to see what condition they are in.
“Our S2000 Ford Fiesta is probably faster than the Group N cars but not as strong, so we have to look after it in the rough sections and we have a healthy lead in the championship; the main aim is to try finish as high up as possible,” he said.
And as ARC events were longer and more demanding compared to South African events, he conceded he had to find a good balance and rhythm during this weekend’s Zambia International Rally.
Rautenbach, who also leads the African race after scoring a maximum 25 points apiece from the Toyota Zimbabwe Challenge and Sasol Rally, jokingly said the ethanol fuel, which he used in his car, was proving to be unmatched both in the ARC and SARC.
“Our G-Fuel team is also very excited to show Zambia what ethanol is all about and what an ethanol-powered car can do,” Rautenbach, who is scheduled to arrive in Lusaka today, said.
In a related development, the FIA Africa Region is pleased that Zambia has continued to maintain its status as one of the roundsof the FIA African Championship Rally circuit.
FIA Africa Region vice-president sport Surinder Thatthi said in a statement that Zambian crews held the record with the highest number of wins in the ARC with multiple champions Satwant Singh and Muna Singh.
“With rising stars like Mohammed Essa, there is hope for the winning to continue in Zambia. During the Pirelli Star Driver (PSD) search, many at the FIA commented on the talent and presentation of Mohammed Essa and even if he did not qualify, the promoters have hoped that he will join the FIA Academy soon,” he said. Thatthi, who won five Zambia International Rally titles with Satwant, said with no less than 11 drivers contesting this season’s ARC, the Zambia International Rally would truly have an international flavour and has wished the rally’s organisers and competitors the best of luck.
“We welcome the new entrants from Madagascar who have said their ARC challenge will start from Zambia Rally this year,” he said.