Changes to rally calendar as Safari plans in top gear
Kenya Motor Sports Federation President Phineas Kimathi (right) welcomes FIA president Jean Todt for a press conference on December 12, 2016 in Nairobi. PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO |
What you need to know:
- The KMSF has also approved changes to the 2019 Rally Sport Sporting Regulations, which includes scraping off of the National B13 class introduced in 2018.
- This is to align the KMSF with the FIA classes for the homologated cars.
- This rule was for just for the local Kenya National Rally Championship as it would not be allowed in an international rally like the Safari Rally.
Kenya's motorsports authorities have introduced an official Hill Climb championship, made some changes in the Rally Raid calendar and assured that plans to have the Safari Rally back on the World Rally Championship roster are on track.
The Safari Rally will be run as a World Rally Championship (WRC) candidate event next year with a view to making a return to the global circuit in 2020.
The announcement was made on Wednesday at a media conference at the Kenya Motorsports Federation (KMSF) headquarters.
“Our preparations for the Safari Rally, which will be run as a FIA WRC candidate event, are at a very high level with continuous discussions with the relevant bodies. The event will also be run as a round of the African Rally Championship,” said Phineas Kimathi, the chairman of the KMSF.
Kimathi stated that it will be for the first time in 17 years that Kenya will be accorded FIA WRC status as a candidate event.
He added: “The 2019 season will have an official Hill Climb Championship, while there will be few changes in the Raid Rally competition with reference to seeking official sponsor for the events."
Other major issues included the board's commitment to make sure the organizers would create spectators areas with introduction of "power stage" concept in 2019, thereby providing better access to the drivers for the media.
A power stage is a new concept introduced by the International Automobile Federation (FIA) and it is held either as the first or last stages basically to motivate drivers where the winner is usually given bonus points.
With the "power stage" concept, the drivers will earn additional points and bring rally more to the people.
The KMSF has also approved changes to the 2019 Rally Sport Sporting Regulations, which includes scraping off of the National B13 class introduced in 2018. This is to align the KMSF with the FIA classes for the homologated cars.
This rule was for just for the local Kenya National Rally Championship as it would not be allowed in an international rally like the Safari Rally.
