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Amaanraj Singh Rai yesterday became the best-placed Kenyan driver at the World Rally Championship (WRC) Safari Rally as the colourful event folded in Naivasha. 

Singh, who was navigated by Briton Gurdeep Panesar in a Skoda Fabio Evo finished 12th overall in a time of 4:45:16.4. The feat saw Singh finish as the third-best WRC driver in the four-day competition. He is the son of two-time Kenya rally champion Sarbi Rai. 

Betika-sponsored Carl Tundo with his long-time navigator Tip Jessop were the second-best Kenyan drivers at the event in their Mitsubishi Evo 10 as they clocked 4:46:53.4. Tundo holds the record for the most Safari Rally titles. 

Youngster Maxine Wahome who made her debut in the event last year wrote another history by emerging the winner of the WRC3 category in her second appearance in the event considered the toughest rally in the world. 

Maxine, navigated by Murage Waigwa in a Ford Fiesta, managed a time of 5:18:51.6 to finish as the third-best Kenyan driver and the best WRC3 competitor. 

Following a late retirement on Friday night which saw her incur a 10-minute penalty and relinquish the lead to Mcrae Kimathi, Wahome did not have to wait too long to go back on top on Saturday morning despite some troubles of her own. 

The Kenyan had a scare on the morning’s opening stage Soysambu 1, when she experienced a computer issue in her Ford Fiesta, seeing her lose six minutes. But the final and decisive day was different for her.