Double victory for Conrad

Champion and won the FIA African Rally Championship with his French co-driver Nicolas Klinger.
Klinger was ineligible to score points in the South African series with his French competition license.
Following protracted appeals against the running of the fourth round of the South African Rally Championship series which saw widespread shortcutting, a Motorsport

South Africa (MSA) Court of Appeal declared the rally null and void.
“If the non-compliance by competitors reaches such a level that the integrity of a result and the fibre of a fair sporting competition is undermined, there cannot be a fair result pronounced . . .” read part of the Court’s findings.

This outcome saw Rautenbach elevated to the top of the points standings, 15 clear of his main title rival Mark Cronje of South Africa, who won the Gauteng Rally in June.
Rautenbach (27) proclaimed himself satisfied with the outcome of the hearing.
“I’m ecstatic and relieved it is over after such a protracted timeframe. Some people may think I protested because I ended second in the provisional championship standings but conveniently forget I put in a protest against the shortcutting immediately after the first day of the rally in June.”

Rautenbach’s Green Fuel Ford team tackled two championships simultaneously this season – the FIA African Rally Championship and the South African Rally Championship – a mammoth task for the small, dedicated band of technicians.
“It’s quite incredible for a small privateer team from Zimbabwe to take on – and beat – the factory teams on their own turf. We have worked incredibly hard all year and the double championships are just reward for all the effort our close-knit team has put in.

“The level of competition has been of the highest standard especially in South Africa and the rallies have never been so close with so many different drivers having a real chance of victory.

“I would like to thank all the organisers, marshals and journalists, but especially my sponsor Green Fuel and M-Sport for building such a fantastic car. A special mention must be made of Nicolas (Klinger), who was thrown in at the deep end at the start of the season and excelled in everything he did on the African continent.
“I would also like to thank my friends and family for their support during all the ups and downs,” Rautenbach said.

“I think the events this year, especially the Court of Appeal, will ultimately change rallying for the better and hopefully shortcutting will be a thing of the past,” Rautenbach concluded.

Meanwhile, Richard “Mahobho” Robinson showed that there was no substitute for experience when he won the Jialing Rally at Donnybrook in Harare on Saturday.
The Jialing Rally was the last event of the 2011 Zimbabwe motor rally season and there was no stopping Robinson at this race where he romped home first ahead of Shaun Whyte and Craig Green.

The veteran driver had seasoned navigator Colin Schreiber as his co-driver and they were just too good for the opposition, beating a field of 10 vehicles that took part in the Jialing Rally. In second place was the 2010 national champion Shaun Whyte who had Dave Milner as his co-pilot in a Subaru Impreza N10.
Big “Bigs” Chitima came fourth.