This archive report was first published on 8 January 2020.
January 8, 2020 - The Safari Rally, Kenya's premier motorsport event, has made a triumphant return to the global stage after a 17-year hiatus. The event's organising team has been working tirelessly to ensure that the rally meets the stringent standards of the World Rally Championship (WRC).
Since last week, the team has been in Nakuru County re-surveying the proposed route, accompanied by experts from the WRC Promoter. Every inch of the ground is being meticulously measured, GPS coordinates calibrated and re-calibrated to zero out any margin of error.
Escape routes are also being carefully weighed as the best media positions and spectator stages are positioned. The final route draft must reach the International Motorsport Federation (FIA) by January 30 for further scrutiny and final approval, according to Phineas Kimathi, CEO of the WRC Safari Rally Project.
The rally is expected to attract a global audience of up to 70 million, with the event village set to be a hub of activity on the Kenya Wildlife Service land on the Naivasha-Mai Mahiu/Moi South Road junction. The picturesque location will provide a stunning backdrop for the event, with an event village of sorts, featuring 64 containers of equipment and prefabricated buildings for teams and sponsors.
Over 50 cars are expected to participate in the Safari, including three works teams from Toyota, Ford, and Hyundai. These cars, valued at over Sh100 million each, are exclusive to factory teams and not for sale to individuals.
The Safari Rally is set to be a major showcase of Kenya's organisational acumen, following in the footsteps of the successful Kenya Open Golf Championship in March and the World Under-20 Athletics Championships in July.
