The mother-daughter crew of Tinashe and Caroline Gatimu hope to use this year’s WRC Safari Rally as a launch pad for success in the FIA African Rally Championship (ARC).
The Safari Rally is set for March 20-23 in Nairobi and Nakuru counties.
The Safari serves as the third leg of the World Rally Championship (WRC), the start of the ARC series and counts toward the Kenya National Rally Championship (KNRC).
After the dust settles in Naivasha, the ARC caravan will cross over to Uganda for the Pearl of Africa Rally on May 9-11, the Mountain Gorilla Rally in Rwanda (July 4-6 ), the Burundi Rally (August 15-17 ) and culminate with the Tanzania Rally (September 19-21 ).
For 19-year-old Tinashe, Safari marks the beginning of what she hopes will be a breakthrough ARC campaign.
“This season, we are looking to build momentum and give the likes of Karan and other top drivers a run for their money in the ARC. The goal is to keep improving and push for strong results,” she said.
Tinashe’s rallying journey began in 2022, wrench in hand, working as a mechanic for her father, veteran rally driver Gatimu Mindo, ahead of the East African Classic Rally.
That hands-on experience ignited a passion that has seen her rise quickly in a male-dominated sport. Her first appearance in the Safari Rally was in 2023, where she finished 10th.
Last year, she announced her presence with a seventh-place finish.
She’s aiming higher. “I am pumped for this year’s WRC Safari Rally. My main target is to finish and hopefully improve on last year’s position,” she noted.
Having represented Vivo Energy last year, Tinashe will don the green of KCB bank next month, a switch she says has been a major boost.
“The experience so far has been amazing, getting the support from KCB has been a big boost and we can’t wait to fly their flag high,” she noted.
Competing alongside her mother Caroline has been a game-changer. The duo shares a unique synergy in the car, blending experience and youthful aggression.
“The chemistry with Mum is amazing,” says Tinashe. “She’s been rallying for years, so I learn from her every time we hit the road. We just gel.”
Despite rallying being a traditionally male-dominated sport, Tinashe has found the fraternity welcoming.
“The guys have been super supportive and it feels like a big family. However, once you strap in, gender doesn’t matter—it’s just you and the machine,” she added. Tinashe and her team are set for a series of test runs in their Subaru Impreza GC8.