Why WRC's Safari tour is more than just a rally
OPINION: A source of national pride in Kenya, the Safari Rally is also a sporting, cultural and economic phenomenon. And as last weekend's World Rally Championship round reminded us, it's a key driver in establishing Africa’s place in world motorsport.
When a motorsport event has its own anthem, it’s a clear sign that this is a big deal. That was indeed the case for last weekend’s Safari Rally Kenya, one of motorsport’s last remaining great adventures. This anthem created for one event per year was belted out by a tuneful local choir to the masses gathered outside parliament buildings in Kenyan capital Nairobi, as the country’s president Uhuru Kenyatta greeted the World Rally Championship teams.
The reason for such fanfare is that the WRC’s trip to Kenya is the country’s largest sporting event and is deeply rooted in the nation’s culture. But the Safari isn’t just that, it’s currently Africa’s only opportunity to showcase itself to the motorsport world.
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Why WRC's Safari tour is more than just a rally
OPINION: A source of national pride in Kenya, the Safari Rally is also a sporting, cultural and economic phenomenon. And as last weekend's World Rally Championship round reminded us, it's a key driver in establishing Africa’s place in world motorsport.
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How Tanak turned the tables to deliver Hyundai a timely WRC triumph
The 2019 champion has been a bit-part player recently, but Ott Tanak ended a 15-month drought in fine style with a dominant win in Sardinia. On a weekend when championship leader Kalle Rovanpera struggled with cleaning the road, his Hyundai rival has made his belated arrival into the title race and given cause for those predicting a walkover from the Toyota star to pause
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