Kenya Inks Deal to Have the Safari Rally Remain in the WRC Until 2026

By Lynnet Okumu / Published January 24, 2022 | 9:40 am

KEY POINTS

Having such an iconic event with such a strong tradition, heritage and the whole passion of the people means a lot for the growth of the WRC as a global championship.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Kenya did well in putting up a great rally last year when the Safari celebrated its return to the World Rally Championship after 19 years out of the global calendar.

Kenya has signed a deal to have the Safari Rally remain as part of the World Championships Rally (WRC) until June 23rd, 2026.

The deal was signed on Sunday, 23rd at the Automobile Club of Monaco between Kenya’s Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed and WRC Promoter GmbH Managing Director Jona Siebel.

According to Siebel, Kenya did well in putting up a great rally last year when the Safari celebrated its return to the World Rally Championship after 19 years out of the global calendar.

He further noted that the extension of the contract with the Safari Rally to 2026 was the longest the WRC Promoter had ever signed, adding that having a strong African round of the World Rally Championship was important to the series.

“Having such an iconic event with such a strong tradition, heritage and the whole passion of the people means a lot for the growth of the WRC as a global championship. It’s by far the longest contract we have ever signed and this is a strong, statement, isn’t it?” he said.

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CS Amina on the other hand acknowledged the efforts of WRC and the International Automobile Federation (FIA) for the support they had accorded Kenya in growing the Safari Rally.

“Due to our close co-operation and partnership with FIA and WRC and the activation of the different support programs in Kenya, young Safari Rally drivers now have the hope for a future where they compete in the world’s most prestigious rally championships and be ranked alongside the world’s greatest rally drivers,” said Amina.

Both CS Amina Mohamed and Jona Siebel acknowledged and commended the role that the Kenyan government has played in promoting the program.

“Thanks to His Excellency, the government has reaffirmed its commitment to the WRC circuit and promises to collaborate with the FIA to ensure the growth of the World Rally Championship by funding the project in Kenya for the next five years and beyond.” Said CS Amina.

Kenyan audiences are already dazzled with the super-cars that have been lined up by the top three manufacturers including reigning champions Toyota Gazoo Racing, Hyundai Motorsport, and M-Sport Ford for the championships.