Youthful racers put on strong show at their debut WRC Safari Rally
Kenyan young racers Jeremy Wahome, Hamza Anwar and McRae Kimathi put in a strong show at the recently concluded WRC Safari Rally, showcasing performance of the country’s next generation motorsport talent.
The trio, who were sponsored by telco giant Safaricom and Kenya Airways, took part in the event as part of the FIA Rally Star Program, a global initiative that seeks to scout, train, and nature talented young drivers between 17-26 years.
Driving an M-Sport Fiesta Rally 3, 22-year-old Jeremy Wahome, in the cockpit with co-driver Victor Okundi, drew from his experience in Formula 3 to finish in 16th place in his maiden rally event, taking on more experienced drivers in one of the toughest WRC circuits.
Read also: Kenya’s team of racers all set for the WRC Safari Rally
“I am happy with my finish and I want to thank sponsors Safaricom for coming on board to support us become professional and world-class drivers. This will enable us to have Kenyan drivers participate in the main event in the next five years that the rally will be in the country,” said Jeremy Wahome.
Hamza Anwar, 22, finished 25th overall. Hamza comes from a strong rally heritage, as his father Asad Anwar and uncle Azar Anwar are both famous for their racing exploits.
The third young rally star, McRae Kimathi, 26, put on a strong show throughout the grueling course but had to retire his vehicle in the final stage due to a mechanical problem.
The WRC Safari Rally, which made its comeback to Kenya after a 19-year hiatus, was won by World Champion Sebastien Ogier, with his Toyota Gazoo team-mate Takamoto Katsuta emerging second. Third place went to Hyundai Motorsport’s Ott Tanak.
Kenyan trio Onkar Rai, Karan Patel and Carl Tundo, who was also sponsored by Safaricom, finished in the seventh, eighth and ninth positions respectively.
