Hyundai’s Neuville leads 29 crews to WRC Safari Rally

Belgian Thierry Neuville leads a lean entry of 29 cars to the 2024 World Rally Championship Safari Rally that will be held from March 28 to 31 in Nairobi and in Naivasha, the international motorsports governing body, FIA, announced on Monday.

Neuville, navigated by Martijn Wydaeghe in a Hyundai i20 Rally1 Hybrid car, leads a three-car team from Hyundai Motorsports which will be looking for a hat-trick of wins this season after the Belgian’s victory in the season-opening Monte Carlo Rally. His team mate Esapekka Lappi triumphed in Sweden late last month.

The 2019 world champion Otto Tanak, who moved from Ford back to his old team this season will drive the third Hyundai car.

Three-time Safari Rally winners Toyota has opted to field three cars for defending champion Kalle Rovanpera, Elfyn Evans who was second in Sweden, and Kenyan fans favourite Takamoto Katsuta in the all-conquering  Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 Hybrid cars.

Ford, like Hyundai who are looking for their first victory in Kenya since the late Colin McRae won 22 years ago, will be led by Frenchman Adrien Fourmaux,  Belgian Gregoire Munster and  Greek Jourdan Serderidis.

East African challenge

Former national and Africa Rally Championship winner Carl Tundo again leads the East African challenge in a Ford Fiesta in position 14 in the second-tier Rally 2 category.

Other locals in contention for this class win are national champion Karan Patel (Skoda Fabia), Eldoret Rally winner Samman Vohra (Skoda Fabia R5, Aaakif Virani (Skoda Fabia R5) and Ugandan  Yasin Nasser in a Ford Fiesta.

Most locals have kept away from the main World Rally Championship Safari Rally for lack of modern machines. However, they will still compete in the Kenya National Rally Championship category as entries are still open.

Full entry list 

1: Thierry Neuville/Martijn Wydaeghe (Belgium), Hyundai120 Rally1 Hybrid

2: Elfyn Evans/Scot tMartin (Great Britain) Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 Hybrid

3: Adrien Fourmaux/Alexandre Coria (France), Ford Puma Rally1 Hybrid

4: Ott Tanak/Martin Jarveoja (Estonia), Hyundai i20 Rally1 Hybrid

5:  Esapekka  Lappi/ Janne Ferm (Finland), Hyundai i20 N Rally1 Hybrid

6: Takamoto Katsuta/Aaron Johnston (Japan/Ireland), Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 Hybrid

7: Kalle Rovanpera/ Jonne Halttunen (Finland), Toyota GR Yaris Rally 1 Hybrid)

8: Gregoire Munster/Loius Louka  (Luxemborg/Belgium), Ford Puma Hybrid Rally 1

9: Jourdan Serderidis/Frededric Miclotte (Greece/Belgium), Ford Puma Rally1 Hybrid

10 :Oliver Solberg/Elliot Edmondson (Sweden/Great Britain), Skoda Fabia R5

11: Nicholas Ciamin/Yannick Roche (France),  Hyundai i20 N

12: Gus Greensmith/Jonas Andersson (Great Britain/Sweden), Skoda Fabia RS

13:Kajetan Kajetanowicz/ MaciejSzcepaniak (Poland),Skoda Fabia RS

14:Carl Tundo/Tim Jessop (Kenya) Ford Fiesta

15:Charles Munster/Loic Dumont (Belgium/Luxemburg),Hyundai i20 N

16: Diego Dominguez/ Rogelio Panate (Paraguay/Spain)

17:Daniel Chwist/Kamil Hellier (Poland) Skoda Fabia RS

18:Karan Patel/Tauseef Khan(Kenya) Skoda Fabia

19:Samman Vohra/Alfir Khan (Kenya) Skoda Fabia Evo

20: Aakif Virani/Zahir Shah (Kenya) Skoda Fabia)

21:  Miguel Diaz Aboitiz/Diego Sanjuan (Spain) Skoda Fabia Evo

22: Georgios Vasilakis/Thomas Krawszik (Greece/ Great Britain, Ford Fiesa MkII

23: Hamza Anwar/Adnan Din  (Kenya,)  Ford Fiesta Rally3

24: Yasin Nasser/Ai Katumba (Uganda),  Ford Fiesta MkII

25: Nikil Sachania/Deep Patel  (Great Britain/Kenya), Mitsubishi Evo X

26: Minesh Rathod/Gordon Noble (Kenya/Great Britain) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X

27: Andrew Muiruri/Edward Njoro (Kenya), Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X

28: Francesco Garosci/Daniele Bottallo (Italy)  Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X

29: Riccardo Garosci/Rudy Briani (Italy) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X