Young Anwar gets familiar with ice ahead of Rally Sweden

Hamza Anwar

Hamza Anwar in Gelio, Norway on February 3, 2023 at the Jhon Haugland Ice Racing School where he has been training ahead of 2023 WRC Sweden planned for February 08, 2023. 

Photo credit: Pool

What you need to know:

  • The 24-year-old is representing Kenya and Africa in the five-round Junior World Rally Championship events in Sweden, Croatia, Italy, Portugal and Greece following the foot prints of McRae Kimathi
  • Although having never driven on ice despite spending his early childhood in Rochdale near Manchester in the United Kingdom, Hamza has acquainted himself well these past few days

Kenyan rally driver Hamza Anwar heads to Umea, Sweden Saturday after spending a week training in Gelio, Norway at the Jhon Haugland Ice Rally Training frozen lake deep in the Norwegian mountains far north.

The 24-year-old is representing Kenya and Africa in the five-round Junior World Rally Championship events in Sweden, Croatia, Italy, Portugal and Greece following the foot prints of McRae Kimathi, who did similar races under the Federation Internationale De’I Automobile (FIA) Rally Star Programme last year.

Although having never driven on ice despite spending his early childhood in Rochdale near Manchester in the United Kingdom, Hamza has acquainted himself well these past few days.

The Kenyan was provided with a rally car and aided by a professional support crew by M-Sport Poland, a similar outfit which will manage him in the entire JWRC season.

“Still letting all the knowledge soak in, driving on ice, but nonetheless, I have a much better idea on how to approach Rally Sweden,” Hamza told Nation Sport on phone.

Promising talent

Anwar is one of Kenya’s latest promising young talents and made his WRC debut at Safari Rally Kenya in 2021, steering a Fiesta Rally3 to second in his class.

Nine drivers have been included in this year’s programme, all driving the Ford Fiestas R3.

Up for grabs is a life-changing prize consisting of arrive and drive outings on four European WRC rounds in 2024 with an M-Sport Ford Fiesta Rally2 car (the next step up from Rally3), plus a tyre support package courtesy of Pirelli.

The eventual champion will also get the chance to test on the Monday prior to each event to gain more experience. As confirmed by wrc.com, William Creighton starts the year as one of the favourites with a handy two years of Junior WRC experience already under his belt.