Focus shifts to Safari Rally action after Todt's visit

International Automobile President Jean Todt (centre) displays a photo of himself competing in the 1978 Safari Rally when he launched the WRC Safari Rally Project offices at Kasarani on February 26, 2018. PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO |

By  Abdul Sidi

What you need to know:

  • Annual Safari will be part of the 2018 Africa Rally Championships.
  • Competition to cover 581 kilometres of which 221 will be competitive over smooth and demanding gravel roads.

After this week’s high-profile visit by International Automobile Federation (FIA) President Jean Todt, motorsports action shifts to the KCB Safari Rally in March.

Todt was in Nairobi on Monday and Tuesday as part of Kenya’s efforts to have the Safari Rally back on the World Rally Championship roster.

The March 15 to 17 Safari Rally’s Clerk of the Course will be Gurvi Bhamra, who will be supported by George Mwangi.

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Mwangi was in the Soysambu area last week to oversee the grading of the roads that will form part of the Safari Rally route. 

Kenya Motorsport Federation President Phineas Kimathi, who is also the chief executive officer of the World Rally Championship Safari Rally Project, said the team has already mapped the route using the GPRS system to track the competing cars.

The FIA has already issued the greenlight for the staging of the Safari Rally as a round of the Africa Rally Championship (ARC).

The Safari Rally will be a compact, three-day event in a route inviting drivers to gas their machines to the limits of velocity. 

The event will be 581 kilometres long of which 221 will be competitive over smooth and demanding gravel roads.   

The main event will start from the Kenyatta International Convention Centre in Nairobi at 11am on Friday, March 15, with the drivers heading to Sopa Lodge in Naivasha.

PROGRAMME

  • The Safari will be 581 kilometres long of which 221 will be competitive over smooth and demanding gravel roads.
  • The main event will start from the Kenyatta International Convention Centre in Nairobi at 11am on Friday, March 15, with the drivers heading to Sopa Lodge in Naivasha.
  • The 94km route from Nairobi will head for the first service before tackling the opening competitive stage (12km) at the Aberdare Stage. 
  • Day Two on Saturday starts at 7am with cars heading to Soysambu Ranch for the first stage of the day followed by Sleeping Warrior and Aberdare II. 
  • These stages will be repeated  with a total of 143 kms of Competitive distance in addition to another 162km of transport distance. 
  • The final day of the rally will be tackled at the Kedong section followed by Aberdare II before the rally comes to end at the Sopa Lodge by mid day. 
  • The rally route concept has been designed in conformity with modern day WRC format.

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