Toyota GAZOO Racing Team will be looking for a fifth straight Safari Rally victory next month boosted by their 1-2 finish in Rally Sweden on Sunday.
The Kenyan round is next, being the third fixture of this year’s World Rally Championship after the season-opening Monte Carlo Rally in January and last weekend’s competition in Sweden.
Briton Elfyn Evans warded off a late charge from Japanese team-mate Takamoto Katsuta on Sunday to clinch the Sweden title as Evans moved into the FIA World Rally Championship lead.
It was Evans’ 10th career WRC win with Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville finishing third behind the Toyotas on the Swedish snow.
Toyota have won all four Safari titles since the Kenyan round was readmitted into the World Rally Championship calendar in 2021 with Frenchman Sebastien Ogier (2021, 2023) and Finland’s Kalle Rovanpera (2022, 2024) grabbing a brace each for the Japanese manufacturer.
After the tarmac of Monaco and Swedish snow, the teams will be tackling their first gravel challenge in Kenya.
This year’s WRC Safari Rally will run from March 20 to 23 with route adjustments and spectator focus making for what should be an exciting rally.
Besides offering logistical support for the competing crews, Toyota’s Kenyan franchise, CFAO Mobility Kenya, is also one of the sponsors of the WRC Safari rally as it celebrates 100 years since Toyota ventured into World Rally Championship competition.
The Safari is an event that usually captures the national psyche as the crème de crème of the rallying world come calling into the flower growing town of Naivasha for the only African round of the World Rally Championship.
Palpitation is palpable, as the event nears with hospitality industry players rubbing their hands with glee, anticipating another economic windfall, going by the past experiences.
The event which, was brought back to Kenyan sporting calendar in 2021 after a 19-years hiatus, has grown in leaps and bounds, revitalizing the erstwhile moribund hotel industry that had been ravaged by the ripple effect of the global pandemic (Covid 19).
Since then, it has been a whirlwind of economic gains, with the country and Naivasha at large gaining big from the global sporting event.
The signature competition has put the lakeside town in the economic map, with local and international investors eyeing a piece of the cake.
The hotel industry has registered immeasurable growth with Airbnb businesses springing up.
A drive towards the Naivasha-Maai Mahiu Road and a branch towards the Moi South Lake Road lays bare the growth of the industry with the sector crucially enjoying the cascading economic benefit of the fame rally event.
Recently, Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya and his entourage came calling to the town, reinforcing the country’s preparedness to host the rallying competition.
Underscoring the importance of the global competition, he assured the international partners and promoters that Kenya was geared up to holding a memorable and nostalgic event.
He talked of the country’s pride in playing host to a competition of such magnitude, promising a flawless event in terms of logistics, with the organisers having romped in experienced hands to ensure a smooth flow of the competition.
“All the dots are connected and it is all system go… we are more than ready to host the event,” said the Sports Cabinet Secretary, adding that counties are set to reap from the global event, terming it a powerful marketing tool for their respective devolved units.
Waxing lyrical, the CS talked of his team having gained requisite expertise having previously hosted the event successfully.
“We are coming with a wealth of experience. Naivasha being the heartbeat due to its serene beauty,” he explained.
He extolled the virtues of past rally management teams for having staged a world class event, assuring of improved standards during the March competition.
“Kenya has marked out globally as the best country for the WRC calendar event. Naivasha occupies a special place,” noted Mvurya.
On his part, the WRC Safari Rally CEO Charles Gacheru was smooth, highlighting the hallmarks of the scheduled competition, especially at the Super Special Stage (SSS) slated for Kasarani in Nairobi.
“Kasarani is the best triple SSS stage in the world, with two cars racing at the same time (drivers competing side by side),” he pointed out.
“Behind the curtains, meticulous planning is going on at the World Rally Championship at the nerve centre located at the Wildlife Service Training Institute (WRTI) in Naivasha.”
He ascribed the importance of the vast ranches, enabling the speeding drivers to navigate, displaying their daredevil antics in closed circuits.
“We are the best-ranked WRC rally country in the world according to FIA ranking,” disclosed the rally boss.
“During the 2024 event every stage started on time, giving the county such a distinction, with safety being top-notch,” added Gacheru.
He revealed “brand new stages” with the shakedown moved from Loldia to near the iconic Sleeping Warrior stage and Camp Moran.
City Hall in Nairobi will also be part of the flagging of the event, traditionally held at the famous Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC).
The rallying delegation remains upbeat of the successful event, with the clock ticking and rally enthusiasts holding their breath.
Macharia Mwangi is a seasoned journalist with more than 20 years’ experience. Previously, he worked with Nation Media Group for 19 years.
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