.ESSA
By SANDRA MWILA –
ZAMBIA’S Mohammed Essa has pulled out from the remaining two stages of the 2014 FIA-African Rally Championship (ARC) due to lack of sponsorship.
Essa, the 2012 Africa champion, exits the competition in second place having acculumated 93 points to trail leader Gary Chaynes of Ivory Coast, who is on 101 points with the KCB Safari Rally of Kenya and Madagascar International Rally still to come.
In a statement released yesterday, Essa said he decided to pull out from competing in the remaining stages due to financial constraints that were curther ompounded after Puma Energy withdrew its sponsorship without notice.
“It is unfortunate that our team had to pull out of this year’s rally. We knew from the beginning that we will have financial issues when Puma Energy pulled out of the team without any notice.
“We will, however, continue in the national championship. See you all in Kitwe,” he said.
Essa, who refused to disclose how much was required to compete in the remaining races, thanked Madison General Insurance for supporting him throughout the year and in the past years saying he would not have made it this far without them.
Reigning continental champion Jassy Singh is not competing in the ARC owing to school commitments meaning Zambia will have no representation going into the final round after Ken Mukosa also withdrew after the second leg during the Sasol Rally in South Africa.
