Croatia Rally boss impressed by Kimathi progress

In Zagreb

McRae Kimathi battled cold and wet conditions on the opening full day of the Croatia Rally on Friday with the European competition’s head Daniel Saskin saying the young Kenyan driver’s arrival on the world stage is “good for the sport.”

Saskin, president of the Croatia Rally’s organising committee, described Kimathi, 27, as “quite talented”, adding that this weekend’s asphalt (tarmac) competition is among the toughest in the World Rally Championship.

Speaking exclusively to Nation Sport at a spectator stage of the 9.11 kilometre Pecurkovo-Vrskovac competitive section’s morning run, Saskin described the Croatia Rally as among the toughest and advised McRae – navigated here by the experienced Mwangi Kioni - to hold on for experience and target a finish.

“It’s fantastic to have a Kenyan driver here in Croatia and we are really happy about it,” Saskin said.

“I can see he’s (McRrae) a really young guy and he has a lot of talent… I hope we will see him for more and more years to come so that he grows in the junior championship and, who knows, maybe one day we will see him in the main WRC.”

He explained the fact that Croatia Rally has six different asphalt services made it quite tricky for the crews with tyre choice of great importance.

“The unique thing about the Croatia Rally is that it’s at least six different types of asphalt, so the grip is changing all the time, and also with breaking of tempo with the fast lanes and technical lanes, very narrow asphalt sometimes, and coupled by the fact that sometimes you go uphill, and sometimes downhill,” he explained.

“You have all types of asphalt in one rally. We try to make it a hard rally so that all drivers can remember it!,” he said.

“Anyone who finishes this rally is a winner because it's a really difficult rally because like now with the rain today – we hope tomorrow it will be sunny – it’s really a tough rally and we want it like this,” the Croatia Rally boss added.

Saskin said he looks forward to travelling to Kenya for the June 23-26 WRC Safari Rally, still regarded as the toughest on the global circuit despite just having made a comeback to the World Rally Championship last year after 19 years in the cold.

“I’d like to say hallo to all my Kenyan friends – jambo! and hope to see you in Croatia next time. I will certainly come to Kenya for the Safari!”

Friday’s rain-soaked action saw Kalle Rovanpera power his Toyota Yaris into the lead halfway the action after SS4.

He led Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville by 12.5 seconds in the morning action that claimed several casualties, including Toyota’s Esapekka Lappi who kissed a boulder and waved the competition goodbye and Ford’s Adrien Fourmaux who careered into someone’s front garden, uninvited, damaging his Ford Puma beyond redemption in the process.

Unlucky Fourmaux had also crashed the hybrid Puma into a ravine in the season-opening Monte Carlo Rally in January, escaping unscathed with navigator, fellow Frenchman Alexandre Coria, in the principality.

A second Ford Puma, driven by another French pair of Pierre-Louis Loubert and Vincent Landais, was another casualty here yesterday after suffering three punctures, running out of on-board tyres.

The WRC2 category was led by Yohan Rossel in ninth place with Briton Jon Amstrong leading the WRC3 class where Kimathi’s car number 62 was sixth, 9.52 seconds off Amstrong’s pace with Irishman William Creighton bringing the rear, some 20 minutes behind the Kenyan.

The WRC3 is the Junior World Rally Championship category which is run alongside the main WRC and second tier WRC2 classes.

Kimathi qualified for the five-race WRC drive courtesy of his placing as best junior in the 2021 African Rally Championship.

Meanwhile, WRC Safari Rally chief executive officer Phineas Kimathi has paid tribute to retired President Mwai Kibaki, saying the late Head of State touched many people’s lives by his good deeds.

“Mzee Kibaki touched many peoples lives by working for good of Mankind and particularly for the people of Kenya.

“His knowledge in Economics benefited both mwananchi and the corporates equally. May his Soul rest in Eternal Peace,” Kimathi said.

President Kibaki was a former patron of the WRC Safari Rally.