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39 drivers to race in 2025 WRC Safari Rally

PHOTO 12
Photo credit: Photo|Sila Kiplagat| Nation

By  Peter Njenga

Columnist

 Elfyn Evans and Scott Martin of Great Britain will lead a strong field of 39 drivers in this year’s WRC Safari Rally that zooms off on March 20.

Evans won the Sweden Rally last weekend aboard a Toyota GR Yaris Rally1.

This year’s Safari counts towards the world and Africa championships and brings together a strong cast that includes WRC defending champion Belgians Thierry Neuville and Martin Wydaeghe  (Hyundai i20Rally1), 2023 Safari winner and twice world champion Kalle Rovanpera and Jonne Halttunen (Toyota GR Yaris Rally 1) and the 2019 world champions Ott Tanak and  Martijn  Jarveoja  (Hyundai i20 Rally 1).

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Interestingly, a record 14 drivers including five Kenyans will contest the main World Rally Championship (WRC) and WRC Challenge with five-time Safari rally Champion Carl Tundo and Tim Jessop listed in the above categories and the WRC Masters Cup in a Ford Fiesta R2.

Twice African champion Karan Patel in a Skoda Fabia is the highest listed Kenyans in position 24.

In WRC2, reigning champion Oliver Solberg headlines the category in a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, while Kajetan Kajetanowicz debuts a similar car. Other notable entries include Jan Solans, Gus Greensmith, and FIA Junior WRC regular Diego Domínguez, who all begin their WRC2 campaigns here. Paraguay’s Fau Zaldivar is another name to watch, while local stars Karan Patel, Carl Tundo, Hamza Anwar and Jeremiah Wahome will be flying the Kenyan flag. 

Toyota has entered a four-car team that includes crowd favourites Takamoto Katsuta/Aron Johnson and newcomers to Kenya Sammi Pajari/Marko Saliminen.

Besides Neuvlle and Tanak, Hyundai have entered Adrien Fourmaux and Alexander Coria in the third car.

M-Sport Ford is fielding a new and refreshingly young team of  Josh McErlean and Eoin Treacy in the first Ford Puma  Rally 1. Gregoire Munster and Louis Louka will pilot the second car.

Greeks veterans Jourdan Serderidis and Frederic Miclotte will drive the third car.

Naveen Puligilla and Musa Sherif are the first Indian nationals to compete in the WRC Safari Rally.

Puligilla, who will drive a Ford Fiesta Rally 3, took part in seven events in India and Asia Pacific region placing 12th in the BlueBand K1000 rally and 15th in the BlueBand Rally of Hyderabad navigated by Thomas Santhosh in a VW Polo Mk2.

2025 WRC Safari Rall entry list:

1: Elfyn Evans/Scott Martin (Wales) (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1;

2: Kalle Rovanperä/Jonne Halttunen (Finland),  Toyota GR Yaris Rally1;

3: Thierry Neuville/ MartijnWydaeghe Martijn (Belgian) Hyundai i20 N Rally1;

4: Ott Tänak/Martin Järveoja (Estonia),  (Hyundai i20N Rally 1);

5:  Takamoto Katsuta/Johnston Aaron (Japan/Ireland) Toyota GR Yaris Rally1;

6: Adrien Fourmaux Adrien/Alexandre Coria (France) Hyundai i20 N Rally1;

7: Josh McErlean Jos/EoinTreacy Eoin (Ireland) Ford Puma Rally1;

8: Sami Pajari/Marko Salminen (Finland) Toyota GR Yaris Rally1;

9: Munster Grégoire Munster/ Louis Louka (Luxemburg/Belgium), Ford Puma Rally1;

10:  Jourdan Serderidis/ Frédéric Miclotte(Greece/Belgium) Ford Puma Rally1;

11: Oliver Solberg Oliver/Elliott Edmondson (Sweden/GBR), Toyota GR Yaris Rally2;

12: Fabrizio Zaldivar/Marcelo Fabrizia; (Italy/Paraguay). Škoda Fabia RS Rally2;

13: Greensmith Gus/Jonas Andersson Jonas (GBR/Sweden)Škoda Fabia RS Rally2

14:  Jan Solans/ Rodrigo Sanjuan (Spain), Toyota GR Yaris R2;

15: Kajetan Katetnowicz/Maciej  Szczepaniak (Poland) Toyota GR Yaris R2;

16: Diego Dominguez/Rogelio Panate (Spain/Paraguay)Toyota GR Yaris R2;  

17; Karan Patel/Tauseef Khan (Kenya) Skoda Fabia;

18: Daniel Chwist/Kamil Heller (Poland)

19Carl Tundo/Tim Jessop (Kenya);

20: Jeremiah Wahome Victor Okundi (Kenya) Skoda Fabia RS;

21: Hamza Anwar/Adnan Din (Kenya) Ford Fiesta R2;

22:Miguel Dia Aboitiz/Diego Sanjuan (Spain), Skoda Fabia EVO;

23 Georgios Vasilakis/Allan Harryman (Grece/GBR),   Ford Fiesta MK2;

24: Samman Vohra/Drew Sturrock (Kenya/GBR), Skoda Fabia Evo;

25: Fernando Alvarez/Jopse Diaz (Argentina), Skoda Fabia RS;

26: Aakif Virani/ Zahir Shah (Kenya) Skoda Fabia; 27: Nikil Sachania/S Deep Patel (Kenya) Ford Fiesta R3;

28:  Naveen Pulligilla/Musa Sharif (India) Ford Fiesta R3;

29: Jasmeet Chana/Ravi Chana (Kenya) Ford Fiesta R2;

30: Yasin Nasser/Ali Katumba (Tanzania/Uganda) Ford Fiesta MK2; 

31: Rio Smith/Riyaz Ismail (Kenya) Ford Fiesta R3;

32 Minesh Rathod/Gordon Noble (Kenya GBR);

33: Sameer Nanji/Suraj Pala (Kenya) Subaru Impreza;

34: Issa Amwari/Dennis Mwenda (Kenya) Mitsubishi Lancer EVOX;

35: Evans Nzioka/Absalom Aswani (Mitsubishi Lancer EVOX);

36: Prince Nyerere/Fernand Rutabingwa (Tanzania/Rwanda) Mitsubishi Lancer EVO10;

37: Pauline Sheghu/Linet Ayuko (Kenya) Mitsubishi Lancer EVO10;

38: Ishmael Omabati/John Kadivane (Kenya) Mitsubishi Lanmcer EVO9;

39: Timothy Gawaya/Francis Wamala (Uganda) SEAT Ibiza.