Karan Patel itching to chill with the WRC big boys

Karan Patel navigated by Tauseef Khan racing on a Ford Fiesta

Karan Patel navigated by Tauseef Khan racing on a Ford Fiesta during ARC Equator Rally Shakedown at Teita Estate in Taita Taveta county on March 17, 2023. 

Photo credit: Anwar Sidi | Nation Media Group

What you need to know:

  • This year’s WRC Safari Rally will be supported by KCB, Kenya Airways, Toyota Kenya, Kenya Wildlife Service and Wildlife Research and Training Institute (WRSTI) with KBC as the host broadcaster.
  • McRae Kimathi, who tackled several WRC rounds last year in the junior category, is looking forward to improving on his third class finish in last year’s Safari Rally.

Karan Patel, the reigning Kenya National Rally Championship (KNRC) title holder and runner up in the 2022 African Rally Championship, is gleefully looking forward to this year’s WRC Safari Rally that runs from June 22 to 25.

Patel will drive a Ford Fiesta R5 with Tauseef Khan his navigator in this year’s round of the World Rally Championship (WRC), classified in the WRC2 category.

“The Safari Rally is an incredible event with a prestigious history. It is a unique event filled with glamour and beautiful surroundings. My team is also eager to be part of it this year,” Patel told Nation Sport.

Patel, his navigator and five members of his service crews are sponsored by KCB and Red Bull.

The 32-year-old driver performed exceptionally well In last year’s KNRC where he won the Overall Kenya National Rally Championship crown, Motorsport Personality of the Year award and Division One title.

The crew also finished second overall in the 2022 African Rally Championship series.

Most significant was his best-ever eighth overall finish in last year’s WRC Safari Rally and second place in the WRC2 class.

This year’s WRC Safari Rally will be supported by KCB, Kenya Airways, Toyota Kenya, Kenya Wildlife Service and Wildlife Research and Training Institute (WRSTI) with KBC as the host broadcaster.

McRae Kimathi, who tackled several WRC rounds last year in the junior category, is looking forward to improving on his third class finish in last year’s Safari Rally.

“Yes I will do this year’s Safari Rally in my Ford Fiesta Rally3 with which I have done a couple of international rallies,” he said.

“I finished third in my class last year. It's one of the iconic events with a home crowd and home turf. It is always such a pleasure to compete in it.”

Kimathi is one of four drivers who made part of the FIA Junior Rally Stars programme, with the others being Hamza Anwar, Jeremiah Wahome and Maxine Wahome.

This year’s WRC Safari Rally will kick off with the “shakedown” in Naivasha before the event is officially flagged off from Uhuru Park in Nairobi on Thursday, June 22.
Only the top priority rally drivers are entitled to participate in the “shakedown” as others rest their cars.

After the super special stage at Kasarani, cars will then head for an overnight rest halt at the Service Park at WRTI, Naivasha.

The main action will kick off on Friday, June 23, with the following stages: SS2 & SS2 Loldia (19.17kms), SS3 & SS2 Geothermal (13.12kms), SS4 & SS2 Kedong (30.48kms).

The rest of the itinerary is: Saturday, June 24: SS8 & SS11 Soysambu (29.32kms), SS9 & SS12 Elementaita (15.08kms), SS10 & SS13 Sleeping Warrior (31.04kms);
Sunday, June 25: SS14 &SS17 (Malewa 9kms), SS15 & SS18 Oserian (18.33kms), SS16 & SS19 Hell’s Gate (10.53kms).

There will be a total of 19 Spectator Stages with the rally’s total competitive distance being 356.98 kilometres.