How Gus Greensmith han*led s**kness to win WRC 2 in Safari Rally
Gus Greensmith kicked off his WRC2 campaign in style at Safari Rally Kenya, clinching victory in the FIA World Rally Championship’s premier support category, finishing 1 minute and 23.1 seconds ahead of his closest rival last Sunday.
Despite battling flu-like symptoms during Friday’s opening leg on the challenging gravel roads around Lake Naivasha, Greensmith managed to overcome sickness and establish a commanding lead of over three minutes.
Gus Greensmith advantage
His main competitor, Oliver Solberg, encountered punctures that cost him significant time, allowing Greensmith to extend his advantage. 
Reflecting on his triumph, Greensmith revealed that he relied on hydration tablets instead of solid food to cope with his illness.
"We did such a good job on Friday that, even despite being ill, it gave us the foundations to be able to control the lead throughout the rest of the weekend. I didn’t eat so much, just hydration tablets really – lots and lots of them!" Greensmith disclosed to WRC.com.
Despite his health struggles, Greensmith never considered retiring from the rally. His determination paid off handsomely, particularly as Solberg's misfortunes further solidified Greensmith's position at the front.
Ending Friday with a substantial lead, Greensmith maintained his composure through the remaining stages, ultimately securing victory on Sunday.
"There was no point where I thought I was going to [retire], because I knew that I couldn’t – just for my own personal reasons. We managed to just get through the day, and then thankfully from that point onwards I started to feel better," Greensmith recounted.
For WRC2 drivers, the opportunity to participate in seven rallies exists, with the best six results contributing to the end-of-season points tally.
Gus Greensmith points
Safari Rally Kenya marked Greensmith's first points-scoring outing of the season.
Explaining his strategy, Greensmith highlighted the importance of strategic planning and testing before committing to rallies. 
"It was the same last year," he noted. "We missed the first couple of rallies and took some time doing some testing, and we felt that it worked well. Last year, we won the first rally and we’ve repeated that this year, so clearly there’s some method to the madness."
