This archive report was first published on 28 June 2021.
On June 28, 2021, the World Rally Championship (WRC) Safari Rally made its comeback to Kenya after a 19-year hiatus, with a new generation of Kenyan drivers taking center stage.
Jeremy Wahome, 22, of the FIA Rally Star Programme, finished 16th in his first-ever rally event, driving an M-Sport Fiesta Rally 3 with co-driver Victor Okundi. Wahome drew from his experience in Formula 3 to take on more experienced drivers in one of the toughest WRC events.
"I am happy with my finish and I want to thank sponsors such as Safaricom for coming on board to support us become professional and world-class drivers. This will enable us to have Kenyan drivers participate in the main event in the next five years that the rally will be in the country," said Jeremy Wahome.
Hamza Anwar, also 22 years old, finished 25th overall. Anwar comes from a strong rally heritage, as his father Asad Anwar and uncle Azar Anwar are both famous for their rally exploits. McRae Kimathi, 26 years old, put on a strong show throughout the grueling course but had to retire his vehicle in the final stage due to a mechanical problem.
The WRC Safari Rally was won by World Champion Sebastien Ogier, with his Toyota Gazoo team-mate Takamoto Katsuta emerging second. Third place went to Hyundai Motorsport's Ott Tanak. Kenyan trio Onkar Rai, Karan Patel, and Carl Tundo, who was also sponsored by Safaricom, finished in the seventh, eighth, and ninth positions respectively.
