In Monaco

The top three finishers at the season-opening Monte Carlo Rally can’t seem to resist the allure of showing up for the Safari Rally in June.

Race winner Sebastien Loeb, runner up Sebastien Ogier – both Frenchmen - and third-placed Irishman Craig Breen all describe the Safari Rally as the most unique round of the World Rally Championship (WRC).

Loeb, 47, rode on experience, and luck, to win the Monte Carlo at the weekend, cashing in on a penultimate stage puncture suffered by reigning world champion Ogier, almost 10 years his junior, to dip in a 10.5-second victory over his compatriot on Sunday.

And while Ogier took a private jet out of Monaco on Sunday evening, Loeb was at the black tie after-party hosted by the 90-year-old rally’s organisers at the Monte Carlo Sporting Club.

The Kenyan delegation was also at the party, led by Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed and WRC Safari Rally CEO Phineas Kimathi who had further cause to celebrate after having conjured up an extension of the Safari’s WRC status until 2026.

The extension deal was signed on Sunday at the Automobile Club of Monaco and also witnessed by WRC Promoter GmbH Managing Director Jonas Siebel.

At the after party, M-Sport Ford’s Loeb and his navigator Isabelle Galmiche, were given a standing ovation for the victory that cam just days after Loeb celebrated a second-place finish at the world’s most challenging marathon motor competition, the Dakar Rally.

Irishman Breen’s third place behind Toyota’s Ogier ensured M-Sport Ford started the constructors’ championship on a high with 42 points ahead of Toyota Gazoo’s 39.

And the three top drivers were unanimous that the WRC Safari Rally, that runs from June 23 to 26, is worth a shot.

In 2002, Loeb was navigated by Daniel Elena in a Citroen Xsara to a fifth-place finish in the Safari, and that’s the last time he competed in Kenya, with the Safari struck off the World Rally Championship the same year.

And with the rally regaining its world championship status last year after a 19-year hiatus, Loeb might fancy a return before he retires.

Already, he and Ogier have announced they won’t be at all the rounds this season, but answering to a question from Nation Sport, one would have the feeling they might show up in Nairobi in June owing to the respect they accord the Kenyan round.

After all, Ogier won the comeback event in Naivasha last year and was impressed by the Kenyan hospitality and the unique challenge the Safari offers.

Loeb holds the record for most WRC round wins at 80, including Sunday’s win at the principality, with Ogier at 54.

“I have some incredible memories from the Safari when I did it in 2002, which was the last one before it returned (to the world championship),” responded Loeb.

“It was incredible because it was completely different from the other rallies… 

“I saw some incredible things, like the animals in the stages and so I have some great memories from there and I think it’s good to go there… For us it’s amazing because you see a lot of things that you never see anywhere else and for me it was good to be there and for sure it’s good for the (world) championship,” the eight-time world champion said.

Ogier couldn’t agree more.

“I enjoyed the experience last year, especially about the nature of course,” Ogier, a record nine-time champion, reacted.

“But I was very amazed by the people as well because of the welcome we got and the enthusiasm for rallying.

“That’s definitely motivation to come back (to Kenya). It’s something I can’t confirm right now but it’s something I will consider,” noted Ogier who had the press conference room in stitches when he compared to his experience with the new Hybrid Rally1 cars to “first time sex.”

Third-placed Breen, 31, hasn’t been to the Safari Rally but the fact that Loeb and Ogier won’t be contesting for the world championship this year gives him more purpose to feature in all rounds, the Kenyan one being no exception.

Hyundai, his team last season, didn’t offer him a Safari drive, but being among M-Sport Ford’s lead drivers this year, he certainly will be in the British manufacturer’s Safari plans.

“Yes, we’ll be there this year! We missed the rally last year because it wasn’t part of my plan with Hyundai so I was sad not to be there,” he said at the weekend.

“But I look forward to discovering a new country, a new continent for me in this championship.”

Breen might not have featured at the Safari Rally before, but he’s away of the event’s rich history.

“I know it from what was shown on the television last year and of course from the history of the sport. Obviously it was a very famous event back in the 80s and 90s, always one of the toughest events of the championship, and so its great it’s back in the calendar now.”

The next stop for the World Rally Championship will be the Rally of Sweden from February 24 to 27, followed by Croatia (April 21-24), Portugal (May 19-22), Italy (June 2-5) and then the Safari rally from June 23 to 26.

The other confirmed rounds are Finland (August 4-7), Greece (September 8-11), New Zealand (September 29 to October 2), Spain (October 20-23) and Japan (November 10-13).

Final positions at the Monte Carlo Rally on Sunday:

1. Loeb/Galmiche (M-Sport Ford) Three hours, 00 minutes, 32.8 seconds;
2. Ogier/Veillas (Toyota) 10.5 seconds behind;
3. Craig Breen/Nagle (M-Sport Ford) +1:39.8;
4. Rovanperä/Halttunen (Toyota) +2:16.2;
5. Gus Greensmith/Jonas Andersson (M-Sport Ford) +6:33.4;
6. Neuville/Waydaeghe (Hyundai) +7:42.6;
7. Andreas Mikkelsen/Torstein Eriksen (Škoda) +11:33.8;
8. Katsuta/Johnston (Toyota) +12:24.7;
9. Erik Cais/Petr Tesínský (M-Sport Ford) +12:29.2;
10. Nikolay Gryazin/Konstantin Aleksandrov (Škoda) +13:41.3.

Championship standings:

1. Loeb 27 points;
2. Ogier 18
3. Rovanperä 17
4. Breen 15
5. Neuville 11
6. Greensmith 10
7. Mikkelsen 6
8. Katsuta 4
9. Evans 4
10. Cais 2

Manufacturers standings:

1. M-Sport Ford 42 points
2. Toyota Gazoo Racing 39
3. Hyundai Motorsport 13
4. Toyota Next Generation 8

WRC2 standings:
1. Mikkelsen 28
2. Cais 19
3 Gryazin 15
4. Gregoire Munster 14
5. Yohan Rossel 13
6. Sean Johnston 12
WRC3 standings:
1. Sami Pajari 29
2. Jan Černý 23   
3. Enrico Brazzoli 18