Consider making Safari Rally a truly endurance event: Ruto

President William Ruto has asked the organisers of the WRC Safari Rally, FIA and WRC Promoter to consider increasing the racing days of the Kenyan rally from three to five.

Ruto wants the rally bodies to discuss a request by top professional rally drivers’ suggestion to have longer road competition as it used to be in the past.

“As we flag off this rally, these men and women, the Safari Rally drivers have told me they want this rally to return to the five days as they did before from the three days now,” said the President in his off the cuff speech after a photo session and friendly chat with the Priority 1 drivers before the flag off at Kenyatta International Convention Centre, Nairobi on Thursday.

“Ababu Namwamba, FIA and Promoter, I think it is time to consider the request of the rally drivers,” said the President echoing a similar proposal that had been put forward by the current world championship leader Thierry Neuville of Belgium to a working group appointed by the FIA World Motorsport Council to gather suggestions of making the World Rally Championship more attractive.

Neuville, 35, proposed a five or six days Safari as a way of bringing back the old ingredients of endurance, tactical approach and proper mechanical pre-event preparations.

Tommi Makinen demolished the myth of endurance rather than sprint in a gun-to-tap dash in 1996 over four days, racing like he was doing an European event when everybody else, as tradition demanded, adopted a cautious “wait and see” approach.

“However, to not completely change the rally format, I would keep Monte Carlo as a four-day event, and I would make the Safari Rally longer, to be like five or six days long, but with longer stages to create a bit of excitement like in the past,” Neuville was quoted by Motoring News last January.

“The WRC clover leaf format of three days of action where day one was a repeat of day three and introduction of the centralised Service Park introduced in 1996 has already served its purpose and time of change is now,” said the FIA WRC working Group in report last year

World champion Kalle Rovanpera said, “for sure this is a very challenging Rally. Tougher than last year.”

President Ruto said this year’s event, which he was instrumental in convincing the FIA and WRC Promoter to return it to the Easter holiday period, was “a truly special Easter holiday gift to millions of families to bond over a thrilling spectacle.

“You really can’t find a rally as tough, compelling, beautiful and rewarding as the one in Kenya”.

Namwamba called on Kenyans to turn out in large numbers for the rally.

“We encourage fans to come out and support their favourite drivers. Your enthusiasm and energy plays a crucial role in making this event a success, and we look forward to seeing you all along the rally route.”

WRC Promoter Managing Director Jonas Sibiel said the Kenyan landscape and endurance aspect of the Safari was what sold the WRC to an even bigger audience.