The suspense is over. The fifth and final round of the Madagascar Rally Championship will take place in three weeks, and Mathieu Andrianjafy will be at the starting line. “We, the federation, promise that the final rally of the season will be held. We will strive to find a solution to every problem,” assured Jeannot Rabekoto, President of the Madagascar Automobile Sports Federation (FSAM).
A meeting between federation officials and drivers was held on Friday afternoon, following the outcry from Mathieu Andrianjafy, a six-time Madagascar champion and the country’s most decorated driver. He had sounded the alarm, calling for better organization of rallies in Madagascar, innovations, and a diversification of special stages.
Most national rounds are organized each season by clubs. The FSAM takes charge of one: this year, it is the fifth and final round, scheduled for November 14 and 15. Following Friday’s meeting, Mathieu Andrianjafy confirmed his participation in this final event, which is decisive for the title. “Out of respect for our sponsors and the public, we will do our best during this rally,” declared the driver nicknamed the ‘Enfant terrible’.
The last-minute cancellation of four special stages during the recent Rallye Tour de Tana had sparked dissatisfaction among some crews. Among them was a night stage on Independence Avenue, canceled for “security reasons.” Other cancellations were linked to track degradation after rain and the holding of a ‘famadihana’ (exhumation ceremony) along the route of a special stage.
“We try to find solutions, but negotiations with the mayors concerned to obtain authorizations are becoming increasingly complicated,” explained the federation president. In response to the drivers’ request to diversify the stages, the FSAM plans to organize the final round in Moramanga. “Negotiations with Fanalamanga have been underway since August. It will be a Grand Rally with a coefficient of 2. The top three in the provisional standings will all have a chance to win the title, not to mention the battle in each group and class,” specified Jeannot Rabekoto.
However, one difficulty remains: the sponsor had planned to support the organization of the rally in the capital. In terms of sports, nothing is decided yet after the fourth round. With 127 points, Frédéric Rabekoto, driving a Mitsubishi Evo, leads the standings ahead of Olivier Ramiandrisoa (115 points) and Mathieu Andrianjafy (105.5 points). This final round promises to be particularly competitive.
Captured & Published at: 2026-10-26 05:38:58 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
Original Source: https://www.lexpress.mg/2026/10/rallye-fsam-mathieu-andrianjafy-se.html