As the 2022 edition of the World Rally Championship (WRC) revved off in Monaco at the weekend, Kenyan fans will be looking forward to June 23-26 when the country hosts the global event in Naivasha .

Vincent Muigai, a rally enthusiast from Eldoret, is optimistic the WRC Safari Rally is likely to surpass the 850 million viewership recorded last season.
“While I have been following the rally for many years, I think for obvious reasons the interest has gone up, I can’t wait for our event in June,” said Muigai.

Maxwell Wamalwa, another rally fan, says the new WRC season will be different in that it has started off with a new FIA president Mohammed bin Sulayem who has pledged to take the sport to the next level.

“I want to see our own drivers getting the new hybrid cars so that they can be able to compete fairly with the best drivers from around the world,” said Wamalwa, a self declared Hyundai Motorsport fanatic.

The championship will also be celebrating its 50th anniversary, with the WRC set to undergo major environmental changes as new FIA technical regulations drive the series towards a more sustainable future.

Steven Maikweki, Sports Marketing Manager at Red Bull Kenya, believes the new WRC season is going to upset the WRC status quo.

“Now that the world champion Sebastien Ogier and former winner Sebastien Loeb, who is making a comeback from retirement, will be competing part time, I’m projecting that we are going to have a new champion in the series this year,” Maikweki said.

Last week a section of local rally heads thronged various entertainment joints to witness the live epic launch Hangar-7 in Salzburg, Austria, where the new hybrid era cars were unveiled.

Kenyan audiences were dazzled by the super cars that have been lined up by the top three manufacturers that includes reigning champions Toyota Gazoo Racing, Hyundai Motorsport and M-Sport Ford.

The constructors revealed that their new cars will compete across 13 rounds on four continents including the much followed Safari Rally Kenya.
Proper training

Toyota will use a GR Yaris Rally 1 car which is a great improvement from their version last season.

Behind the wheel for Toyota will be the 2021 championship runner-up Elfyn Evans and team-mates Takamoto Katsuta and Kalle Rovanperä – who became the youngest WRC rally winner in history last season.

M-Sport Ford has new signing Craig Breen and the team’s hotly-tipped youngster, Adrien Fourmaux who will battle in a hybrid Puma Rally 1 car.
Hyundai, arguably with the strongest competing speedsters that include lead drivers Thierry Neuville and Ott Tänak, will comb the asphalt, ice and gravel terrains in an i20 N Rally 1 car.

“Look at these glittering machines, will Kenya ever wrestle the big boys in this game?” Farida Limo, an ardent motorsport fan who followed the live proceedings in Nairobi on Saturday night wondered out loud.

he plug-in hybrid-powered cars are built around an upgraded safety cell chassis, 100 percent fossil-free fuel and sustainable energy supplies that are key to the sport’s commitment to a greener future.

In order to be on a par with the big boys, Kenya National Rally Championships driver Eric Bengi has suggested that the government should take over Kenya’s preparations for the WRC.

Bengi says the series is quite expensive to handle as a solo driver starting with the expensive vehicles that go for at least Sh100 million for a single car.

“Local drivers need good cars and proper training to help them up their game in this sport.

“I am suggesting that the government should set aside a Kenyan team, even if only five drivers, equip them well, train them properly, then set them to battle in the WRC.

“I am confident they will perform well.I believe they will give the international drivers a run for their money,” says Bengi.

Ahead of the new season, Kenya has already set up an office in Europe in Lahti, Finland, to capitalise on the great history and rich heritage of the Safari Rally.

The new Safari Rally office in Europe will help market the country as a sports tourist destination.

“By incorporating ‘Visit Kenya’ as part of the Safari coffee project, as the Kenyan coffee sells in the Europe rallies, so do our tourist numbers increase,” said Sports CS Amina Mohamed. “The Safari Rally was the most followed WRC event in 2021 which was a major milestone.