After a two-year hiatus, rally driver Evans Kavisi believes he is a man reborn, refreshed, refocused and ready to leave his mark at this year’s WRC Safari Rally on March 20-23.
Kavisi, alongside his trusted navigator Absalom Aswani, is part of a formidable four-car KCB Bank lineup.
The team features African Rally champion Karan Patel and navigator Tauseef Khan, the mother-daughter duo of Tinashe and Caroline Gatimu and paraplegic driver Nikhil Sachania, navigated by Deep Patel.
Kavisi took a step back from competitive rallying to focus on his mental and physical well-being, acknowledging the emotional toll the sport can take.
“I took a break to reset mentally. Motorsport is intense, both physically and emotionally. I needed time to recondition myself and rediscover why I fell in love with it in the first place,” Kavisi explained.
As part of his reset, Kavisi turned to golf, a sport that challenged him to push beyond limits.
“Golf is all about competing against yourself. One day you’re on top of your game, the next, you’re struggling. That constant challenge forces you to stay sharp, just like in rallying,” he noted.
He realised the need for self-evaluation in motorsport, especially in risk analysis and race strategy. “By the end of it, I understood that I had to refine my approach in rallying. I had to analyse where I was going wrong — decision-making, risk management, or my overall perspective on the sport,” he added.
Now, piloting a Mitsubishi Evo X, Kavisi is eager to make his presence felt at the Safari.
“After two years away, I feel ready for strong results. I have gone through a transformative journey and I am in a better space,” he affirmed.
This year’s rally will serve as a round of the Kenya National Rally Championship (KNRC) and the opening leg of the African Rally Championship (ARC).
While the KNRC remains uncertain, Kavisi has set his sights on making an impact in the ARC.
“I specifically want to try my hand in the ARC, things are a little unclear in the KNRC. This will be my first attempt in the ARC series,” Kavisi noted.
He is heading into the Safari Rally with a calmer mindset, refusing to let pressure take charge.
“Before, I would have burdened myself with expectations, but this time, I’m approaching it with a clear head,” he emphasised.
Kavisi has been logging 15- 20km runs every two days to ensure peak physical readiness, preparing his body for the gruelling rally conditions.
“I am an avid runner. I run between 15 and 20km every two days. That’s how I am preparing physically for the rally since it is physically tasking,” he noted.
His team has lined up a series of test drives, having already stripped and rebuilt the car for optimal performance.