Manveer Joins The R5 Club As Asas Team Arrives In Iringa With Four-Car Attack
By Mwambazi Lawrence (mwambazilarry2015@gmail.com)
The wait is finally over as Tanzania’s mighty ASAS Team rolls back into action this weekend for the opening round of the Tanzania National Rally Championship in Iringa, and they are not coming quietly. Leading the charge are the famous Singh brothers, Randeep and Manveer Birdi, who arrive with enough horsepower, experience, and rally stories to keep fans entertained throughout the weekend.
Fresh from an impressive outing at the 2026 Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally, Randeep Singh returns home with confidence sky-high and the Ford Proto looking faster than a boda-boda rider who has just spotted a traffic officer in the rear-view mirror.meaner. The 2009 Tanzania Rally Champion stunned many in Uganda by finishing third overall and claiming victory in the national category, proving that the Proto is no longer just making noise it is delivering results.
This Ford Proto in perticular has become one of East Africa’s most talked-about machines, and Randeep will be hoping it continues behaving itself in Iringa. As rally fans know, a rally car can look like a loyal best friend on Saturday morning and turn into an expensive garden ornament by Sunday afternoon. While Randeep brings proven pace, much of the spotlight this weekend falls on his younger brother Manveer Birdi, the 2024 Tanzania Rally Champion, who is beginning a completely new chapter in his rally career.
After retiring from the Pearl Rally in Uganda aboard a Mitsubishi Evo IX, Manveer has now officially graduated into the region’s elite R5 club after acquiring the ex-Samman Vohra Skoda Fabia R5. The move immediately places him among East Africa’s growing list of Rally2 competitors, although there is one small detail that has left rally fans both excited and nervous.
“He has not tested the car. Not even once.” In what can only be described as peak rally-driver confidence, Manveer will be meeting his Skoda properly for the first time at the rally itself. For most people, buying an R5 and heading straight into competition without testing would sound like buying a lion and immediately taking it for a walk. But rally drivers are a different species altogether.
Whether Manveer and the Fabia become best friends immediately or spend the weekend getting to know each other remains one of the biggest questions heading into Iringa. Meanwhile ASAS Team’s challenge doesn’t stop with the Birdi brothers. Harinder Deere will be piloting Randeep’s former Mitsubishi Evo IX, while Kartik Valambia joins the fight in an Evo VII, giving ASAS one of the strongest and most experienced line-ups in the championship. The four-car attack sends a clear message to the competition: the ASAS Team means business.
Standing in their way is reigning Tanzanian champion Ahmed Huwel, affectionately known by many competitors as the “old boy,” who continues to fly the flag for the Toyota GR Yaris Rally2. Huwel’s consistency and speed have made him the benchmark in recent seasons, but he now faces a determined ASAS squad eager to challenge for top honors.
Iringa’s roads will provide the perfect stage for the battle. The Southern Highlands are famous for fast flowing sections, technical mountain roads, and enough surprises to keep both drivers and co-drivers fully awake. One missed pace note in Iringa can quickly turn a podium dream into a sightseeing tour of Tanzania’s beautiful countryside. But for Randeep, the objective is simple continue the momentum from Uganda and secure a strong championship-opening result.
For Manveer, the weekend will be about understanding his new R5 machine, gaining confidence, and discovering exactly how much courage the right foot can supply when the road starts disappearing over the horizon. One thing is certain: rally fans will be keeping a close eye on the ASAS service park. Between Randeep’s flying Proto, Manveer’s untested but exciting Skoda Fabia R5, and two Evo warriors ready for battle, the ASAS garage promises plenty of action.
The 2026 Tanzania National Rally Championship begins this weekend in Iringa, and if the opening round delivers even half the drama the entry list suggests, fans are in for a spectacular start to the season.
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