Drivers have a feel of WRC Safari Rally route ahead of shakedown

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 22 – Drivers got a chance to have a feel and look at the picturesque WRC Safari Rally route on Monday and Tuesday when they conducted a mandatory recce ahead of the proper action that is expected to rev-off on Thursday at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC).

On the first day that many of the international drivers, the likes of seven-time world champion Sebastien Ogier representing the Toyota Gazoo Racing team and 2019 world champion Ott Tanak of the Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally team, got the chance to see what lay ahead of them as they drove their recce vehicles through the four stages for the day.

The rules allow the rally drivers to drive through the route ahead of the event for the teams to write their own pace notes that will help them navigate the stages faster and with the simplest of ease.

However; the drivers have to use a different vehicle from the one that they will be racing in.

This saw the Toyota Team recce with Subaru’s GVB’s, Hyundai used the popular BMW 1 series, (on the Kenyan Rally Scene) M-sport Ford used replica rally cars while many of the Kenyan drivers used their daily drivers, Toyota Landcruiser Prados.

As per the schedule, the drivers went through Malewa (9.71km), (Loldia 11.33km), and Hells Gate (10.56km).

We caught up with Issa Amwari and Job Njiru car number 41. He said “The Recce was crazy. It was good. Actually, some of the stages we were familiar with, but when you go inside, my friends’ things change. Like the last stage we did; Hells Gate it’s exactly that. Its Hells Gate. The dust is crazy, if you slow down you are sunk,” Amwari told Capital Sport.

He went on to say “This is an open rally, for everyone. Anyone has a chance in this one depending on how you drive and how you navigate.”   

Day two that was on Tuesday will take the drivers through the longest stages of the rally and the shorter ones on Wednesday Morning. However; there is a catch, none of the drivers is allowed to exceed 80 Km/h in any of the stages.

The drivers and crews are also expected to abide by the Kenyan Traffic act while on tarmac.

The second Day of Recce saw the drivers go through Sleeping Warrior (31.04km), Elementaita (14.67km), Soysambu (20.33km) and Kedong (32.68km) while on Wednesday the recce will start with Chui Lodge (13.34km) and end with Oserian (18.87km) STAGE.

This will be an exciting and busy day as the rally drivers get the chance to officially use their Rally cars on during “Shake Down. (5.40km).”

Shakedown will take place in a section of the Loldia Stage and will be broadcasted live and for free on the WRC+ App or the WRC official Website and Youtube Page.

The vehicles will then head to Kasarani where they will be cleaned as they wait for the official flag off at Kasarani and “Super Special Stage” at Kasarani (4.84km).

No one knows what to expect, the rally organizers nor the rally crews. The weather can change a dusty road into a slippery track and the sun could change a decent murram road into a “pool of dust.”