Kenya's rally titans Carl 'Flash' Tundo and KCB Nakuru Rally champion Onkar Rai hope that Safari Rally will gain world status next season.
The two say Safari Rally has met requirements for the World Status Championships.
Rai said the distance covered in the Safari Rally Championships and safety measures taken by Kenya Motorsports Federation (KMSF) serves to impress International Automobile Association (FIA)’s official Michelle Morton who was on an inspection tour of the event. The event is recognized by Africa Rally Championships.
Tundo said elevation of the event into a world status was long overdue. “We have achieved all the requirements required for the rally to achieve the previous FIA status,” Tundo told Standard Sports.
KMSF President Phineas Kimanthi said they had already submitted their report to FIA headquarters and were still awaiting the outcome in five weeks’ time.
“We have done everything on our part on a journey that was started six years back and we expect to get the fruits of our labour before the end of next month,” Kimanthi said.
Safari Rally used to be the toughest leg on the World Rally Championships (WRC) circuit and on July 5, President Uhuru Kenyatta flagged off the first cars participating in this year’s rally event that was won by Baldev Chager navigated by Ravi Soni in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution.
This year, the competition was the fourth round of the FIA African Rally Championship.
When first inaugurated in 1953 as East African Safari Championships cutting across the former British colonies of Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika, it was meant to celebrate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II of England and since then, it has been on WRC status until 2002.
