Safari Rally: Local drivers’ preps hit by cash crunch

Cash-strapped local drivers are struggling to prepare for the World Rally Championship (WRC) Safari Rally on March 28-31 in Naivasha.

Hamza Anwar, who started rallying in 2018 at the wheels of Datsun 1600sss in a Classic Rally, is appealing for support from the government to help him compete in the Safari Rally.

“We hope the government will intervene for Kenyan young FIA stars to take part in the rally. I'm optimistic, but I have been let down by my FIA Young Star Project and sponsors,” Anwar told Nation Sport.

“I was looking forward to my home event. But the FIA Rally Stars project has failed to deliver this year so we are appealing to fans, friends, family, and sponsors to help us."

Anwar has participated in over 40 rallies both locally and internationally. His first Kenya National Rally Championship event was in 2018 in a Toyota Sprinter.

He has yet to register a victory in any rally, although he has led in a few FIA Young Star competitions.

Despite the World Rally drivers being the favourites for the top places, local drivers have put in the work to ensure their impact in the Safari Rally is felt.

The Safari Rally has attracted 29 entries, with 16 being FIA-seeded crews. Only five Kenyan crews are registered under the FIA R2 cars.

The main category in the Safari Rally has 16 foreign drivers in R1 cars.

Former Safari Rally winner Carl Tundo headlines the local list in a Ford Fiesta alongside Karan Patel (Skoda Fabia), Samman Vohra (Skoda Fabia), Aakhif Virani (Skoda Fabia) and Anwar (Ford Fiesta).

Three other Kenyan crews will participate in the Kenya National Rally Championship category. They are Nikhil Sachania, Minesh Rathod, and Andrew Muiruri.

There will be 18 competitive stages in this year’s WRC Safari Rally. The major event will kick off with the Shakedown Section at the Kedong Stage before the lead cars return to Nairobi.