Top local drivers will be chasing the World rally Championships second tier (WRC2) points at the iconic WRC Safari Rally Kenya which starts tomorrow in Nairobi.
Following, two days of reconnaissance on Monday and Tuesday which preceded Wednesday’s Shakedown at Loldia, Kenyan drivers will now embark on the rally proper which will culminate with the Wolf Power Stage at Hell’s Gate on Sunday.
Kenyans are pegging their hopes on Aakif Virani (Skoda Fabia), Carl Tundo (Ford Fiesta), Samman Singh Vohra (Skoda Fabia) and African Champion Karan Patel (Skoda Fabia) who are the four locals listed on the FIA WRC support category (WRC2).
Virani rolled on Loldia’s shakedown but he is expected to start the event tomorrow. “We rolled on Shakedown but the damage was superficial, so we hope to fix it well in time,” Aakif said.
Karan was the leading Kenyan on shakedown as he returned 14th fastest while Tundo and Samman came 17th and 18th respectively.
WRC-2 has attracted Europe’s leading professional drivers among them Brit Gus Greensmith and Kajetan Kajetanowicz who will both kickstart the Kenyan round behind the wheel of Skoda Fabia RS Rally2s.