An energy-sapping volcanic course awaits the Kenyan Rally Star Drivers and their Rally3 Ford Fiestas when the 70th WRC Safari Rally zooms off next week (June 22-25).
The trio of McRae Kimathi, Hamza Anwar and Jeremiah Wahome carry an air of confidence into the race weekend as they aim to uphold the performance of their M-Sport Poland-prepared marques in Africa.
Having been a part of the single-car program for three years, the three-car team will be looking to conquer the challenging Naivasha course which will be headlined by Priority 1 World Rally Teams and WRC2 Rally entrants (the former Rally5).
Speaking during a launch where Safaricom’s mobile-money service Mpesa donated Sh-25 Million towards the Rally Star project, Hamza remarked: “It’s an amazing milestone. For three years, we have partnered together on this project and grown immensely as a team. We promise to make Kenyans proud by posting a 1-2-3 podium clean sweep in Rally3.”
The trio will once again compete as World Rally Championship (WRC) Priority 3 drivers under the sponsorship of Safaricom and Kenya Airways.
McRae, on his part, said: “It’s been an amazing three-year journey. And now that I am not a junior anymore, I started with Safaricom not being champion and now I can proudly say, I’m a champion. We have traveled around the world and savoured amazing experiences. Hopefully, in this Safari, I can enjoy and post a good result.”
Safaricom PLC chief financial services officer, Esther Waititu, said: “We are once again thrilled to be a part of this historic event. Over the past two years, our partnership with Kenya Airways has enabled us to support the WRC Safari Rally and nurture young drivers through the FIA Rally Star programme as part of our commitment to promote sports talent in the country.”
In addition to the KES 25 million sponsorship, as part of Safaricom’s sustainability agenda, the telco and the rally stars will actively participate in a tree-planting initiative to mark the 2023 WRC Safari Rally.
WRC Safari CEO Phineas Kimathi said: "I am very grateful to the Government of Kenya for walking the journey with us as a federation and as Motorsport enthusiasts to return Safari back to where it was. We are grateful for the support of Safaricom and KQ, which made the rally stars become champions in Africa,” Kimathi said.
Kimathi added: “I’m privileged to be serving in this space as the CEO of WRC Safari Rally and I’m sure everyone is well aware of the journey that we traveled from 2014 to get the Safari back in the global circuit.”
Jeremiah Wahome joined the Rally Star Project after he was spotted as a young budding driver in Europe, where he raced the Formula 3s. He became the first black indigenous driver to win a round of the KNRC after Patrick Njiru in 1999.
Hamza, on the other hand, posted good results and won the FIA Championship 2022. Kimathi Junior won a rare double of titles in 2021 when he has crowned the ARC Junior and ARC 3 champion. He also won the ARC3 in 2023.
