Kenyan trio of FIA rally stars set for African Rally Championship
Youthful FIA rally drivers Hamza Anwar, McRae Kimathi and Jeremy Wahome have expressed confidence ahead of the third leg of the African Rally Championship that starts on Friday in Tanzania.
The three, who are sponsored by Safaricom and Kenya Airways, will be making their debuts in Tanzania giving their Ford Fiestas a second outing after last month’s Safari Rally in Naivasha.
“I am thrilled at this opportunity because it is my first time to take part in the African Rally Championships. It is a new challenge but from the experience I gathered at WRC Safari Rally last month, I am confident that I will perform well,” said Jeremy Wahome of the event which ends on Sunday.
Wahome and Anwar, 22, and Kimathi 26, are some of the youngest drivers who featured in last month’s World Rally Championships (WRC) Safari Rally that made a comeback in Kenya after nearly two decades.
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Wahome finished in 16th position and Anwar in 25th while Kimathi retired at the final stage after his car developed a mechanical problem.
This is the second time Hamza Anwar is taking part in the African Rally Championships after finishing in 5th during Africa Rally Championship Equator Rally that was held in April this year where McRae Kimathi finished in 8th.
The three will once again be driving the M-Sport Fiesta Rally 3 sponsored by telco giant Safaricom and Kenya Airways. They are part of the FIA WRC Star programme, a global initiative that seeks to identify, train, and develop talented young drivers between 17-26 years.
“I appreciate the opportunity that Safaricom and Kenya Airways has given us to grow our talent. My aim is to keep on getting better and improving my results,” added Wahome.
The African Rally Championship will also see Carl ‘Flash’ Tundo, a five-time winner of the Safari Rally and winner of Africa Rally Championship Equator Rally held in April, defend his title in Tanzania. He is also the 2019 Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC) champion, making him the only Kenyan winner of an IRC round.
Tundo was also among the drivers that Safaricom sponsored during the WRC Safari Rally.
