Safari Rally – Kenya on the calendar for several years

You only have to attend the Safari in Kenya to understand how much this rally is unique. There is nothing comparable in the championship and the presence of a round in Africa is essential for a competition that aims to be global. Having celebrated its return in WRC In 2021, the Safari has never disappointed, offering wild races and memorable images. For the diversity of the program, it is important to maintain this event, but it must also show progress to get closer to European standards. William Ruto, the president of Kenya, who had the chance to take a first ride with Pierre-Louis Loubet in 2023, is keen to perpetuate the event and is personally committed to achieving this.

The WRC promoter also has a strong desire to establish a permanent presence in the country, but the upcoming signing of the contract will have to be accompanied by investments and actions on the ground, such as road repairs or the creation of a service park that can accommodate spectators, which is not the case today. Currently located in a forest ranger training camp, the entire event infrastructure (press room, assistance, parc fermé, rally headquarters, image production, etc.) should benefit from improvements to sanitation and working conditions.

Finally, another type of operation should appear for financing with a private structure. During the 73^e edition, meetings were organized with people from the government and important Kenyan companies such as Kenya Airway or KCB (the Kenyan public service technical media) and others. Regarding the route, the promoter is not necessarily pushing for changes. If a stage were to take place away from Naivasha with a relocated support, everything would have to be perfectly in place to justify such a move. While several events are keen to join the calendar, Kenya's place seems assured for several more years.

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