Icy Swedish debut poses hot challenge for rookie Kenyan driver

An East African driver, who had never seen snow until last week, launches his junior world rally career in the hostile environment of Scandinavia’s frozen forests tomorrow.

McRae Kimathi, named after rally legend and 1995 world champion Colin McRae, opens his FIA Junior World Rally Championship campaign just south of the Arctic Circle at Rally Sweden.

It’s a story with echoes of the Jamaican bobsleigh team’s 1988 Winter Olympics campaign, which sparked the hit film Cool Runnings.

Temperatures at the rally’s host city of Umeå plunged to almost -20°C this week, but Kimathi is undeterred by the bitter cold, snow and ice that are alien at his home in Kenyan capital Nairobi. He is simply focused on following in the tyre tracks of McRae.

Kimathi idolises the late Scot. Ask him what his dream rally car is and he’ll tell you in no uncertain terms: “L555 BAT – Colin’s 1995 championship-winning Subaru Impreza.”

Kimathi’s a rally man through and through. His driving career began in 2016 and he’s already made a name for himself in Africa.

Sweden’s sub-zero temperatures and snow-plastered roads are a far cry from the baking heat and dusty rally tracks the 27-year-old is familiar with, but he’s up for the challenge.

Biting cold

“I’m actually so excited, but I’m just scared of the cold!” Kimathi joked on arrival in Norway for a pre-rally test in the four-wheel drive Ford Fiesta Rally3 he will steer in Sweden. “We’re not really used to that type of weather – it’s normally sunshine all day long.

“I’ve never been on snow before or anything like it, so it’s a completely new experience. For Sweden, we’ll just try and learn as much as possible to gain experience. I want to learn the roads and the different surface, which will probably help me in the future,” he added.

Learning is the key subject here. Sweden marks Kimathi’s first start in Europe, which means experience and mileage will take priority from the get-go.

He does, however, have previous experience of M-Sport Poland’s Fiesta Rally3. He drove the car to the African junior title in 2021 and also starred at his home Safari Rally Kenya.

“If we want to be at the top level of the sport, we have to drive on every surface, so it’s better to start now when I have the chance. The Junior WRC is a great way to start,” he explained.

“The car is really fantastic and so good to drive. For this year, there are a few new upgrades with it and there will be a bit more power and torque, so it could be more of a challenge.”

Although Kimathi is keeping one eye on his goal to reach the pinnacle of the WRC, for now the focus is Sweden.