Reigning champion Rovanpera among 34 drivers confirmed for WRC Safari Rally
A total of 34 drivers including three factory teams from M-Sport Ford, Toyota Gazoo Racing and Hyundai have confirmed their participation at the 70th WRC Safari Rally Kenya slated for June 22-26 in Naivasha, Nakuru County.
M-Sport Ford announced three cars in the P1 category team on May 22 led by the 2019 world champion Ott Tanak of Estonia, Frenchman Pierre Louis Loubet and Greek Serderidis in Ford Puma Hybrid R1 cars. The team has also entered Greek Georgios Vasilakis in a Ford Fiesta R2 in the Rally 2 category.
Hyundai’s lead driver Thierry Neuville will be joined by Daniel Sordo, second in Portugal recently, and Esapekka Lappi who was third in the same event.Tanak, the winner in Sweden last February, and second in the WRC with 81 points, 17 behind on-song Rovanpera, is closely followed by Sebastien Ogier in the series ahead of Sardinia, Italy next week.
Hoping for a third straight Safari title defence chance, Toyota Gazoo Racing Team has four cars for last year’s Safari winner and FIA World Rally champion Finnish Kalle Rovanpera, Briton Elfyn Evans, eight time world champion Ogier of France and Japanese Katsuta Takamoto in the all-conquering Yaris GR which has won four of the last five rounds this season.
Canadians Jason Bailey and James Willets are the new faces in the Rally 3 category in a Ford Fiesta to face off the three Kenyan youngsters led by McRae Kimathi who finished fifth in the JWRC last year, Hamza Anwar, currently competing in the same series, and Jeremiah Wahome_ all in the one make Ford Fiesta R3. They are joined by Diego Dominguez of Paraguay, navigated by Spaniard Rogelio Panate, also in a Ford Fiesta R3.
Three-time European champion Kajetan Kajetanowicz returns to Kenya to defend his WRC2 title bringing his wealth of experience to score maximum points and keep his world title hopes alive after missing the coveted crown last year in season ending WRC Japan.
Other drivers in the WR2 field are Polish ace Martin Kropkop and Ndenek Jerk in a Ford Fiesta, Kajetan Kajetanowicz/Maciej Szczpaniak from Poland (Skoda Fabia), Daniel Chwist/Kamil Helper (Poland- Ford Fiesta R2) and Swede Oliver Solberg, navigated by Elliot Andrew Edmondson of Great Britain in a Skoda Fabia Evo R2.
