The Kenyan Motor Sports Personality of the Year 2023 will be known during an awards ceremony planned for Nairobi’s Carnivore Restaurant on 27 January.
The occasion will also reward champions in respective Kenya Motor Sport Federation (KMSF) disciplines, including karting, 4X4, tarmac racing and, indeed, the prestigious National Rally Championship (KNRC).
“The identity of the Motor Sports Personality is usually kept secret until the season’s champions have been feted at the awards ceremony,” KMSF general manager Mwaura Njuguna said.
Among champions to be feted are KNRC overall winners Jasmeet Chana and co-driver Ravi Soni. Chana wrapped up the 2023 KNRC season with a cumulative total of 229 points, 103 clear of McRae Kimathi.
The Chana siblings will also savour a rare double of KNRC silverware, also as 2023 B13 Class Champions.
Also in the mix are KNRC Group N Champions Nikhil Sachania and Deep Patel, KNRC Classic Car Champions Ian Duncan and Jaspal Matharu, KNRC Rally 3 Champions McRae Kimathi and Mwangi Waithaka and KNRC Group S Champions Jose Sardinha and Shameer Yusuf.
Longstanding KNRC competitor Dareen Miranda and lady co-driver Linet Ayuko will receive their awards as 2023 KNRC Two Wheel Drive (2WD) Drivers’ and Navigators’ Champions respectively.
Veteran navigator turned driver Tim Jessop will be feted as the new Kenya National Rally Raid overall champion.
Physically challenged driver Nikhil Sachania will be back at the annual awards ceremony to collect the KNRC Group N title for 2023 along with his partner Deep Patel.
Nikhil, who is also the 2014 Motor Personality winner, clinched the title behind the wheel of a hand-controlled SPV Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 10.
Young siblings – Zane and Chantal – will be rewarded as Rally Raid Buggy Champions for the umpteenth time.
The Kenya National Karting Championship has new champions in Wilf Alobo (Bambino Class) and Krrish Vadgama (Rotax Junior Max Class).
The 2022 Bambino karting champion Bixente Rio Wyles will receive his silverware as the 2023 Cadet Class award.
The Kenya National Autocross Championship which traversed various tracks across the country has eight champions in Neel Gohil (2WD NT-Car & 2WD NT -Buggy), Azaad Mani (2WD T), Eric Bengi (4WD T), John Kadivani (Open Class),Karamveer Singh Rooprai (Junior 2WD NT), Jose Sardinha (4WD NT), Eann Bengi (Bambino), and Allan Bengi (Pee Wee).
PAST MOTORSPORT PERSONALITIES OF THE YEAR SINCE 2000
2000 Rory Green & Orson Tailor
2001 Glen Edmunds
2002 Anthony Nielsen
2003 Ian Duncan
2004 Sammy Aslam
2005 Carl “Flash” Tundo
2006 Anthony Nielsen
2007 Baldev Chager
2008 Azar Anwar
2009 Ben Muchemi
2010 Ian Duncan
2011 Aslam Khan
2012 Shivam Vinayak
2013 Baldev Chager
2014 Nikhil Sachania
2015 Jaspreet Chatthe
2016 Tapio Laukkanen (Finland)
2017 Manvir Baryan
2018 Tuta Mionki
2019 Phineas Kimathi
2020 Not Held Due To Global Outbreak Of Covid-19
2021 Aakif Virani
2022 Karan Patel
2023: TBA
