Safari Rally 2024: Toyota team braces for a tough challenge
The 2024 Safari Rally Kenya is gearing up to be a thrilling challenge, setting the stage for a gripping showdown among the world’s top rally drivers. This year’s event promises to be one of the most demanding yet, with the rally scheduled to take place in Naivasha between the 28th and 31st of March.
Rally drivers will be expected to tackle treacherous terrain as the event coincides with the start of the long rain season in Kenya. The rough, muddy roads and pools will test the drivers’ skill and endurance to the limit, often demanding the ability to make split-second decisions to secure a win.
To combat the potentially flooded roads in Naivasha, many teams such as Toyota have equipped their cars with snorkels, allowing engines to breathe while minimizing the risk of water damage.
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Toyota team principal Jari-Matti Latvala has acknowledged the unique challenges that this year’s Safari Rally will present, “This year, it could bring a different challenge with the change of date: now it’s the rainy season in Kenya so there’s more risk of difficult conditions. When it rains there, the stages can get extremely slippery and it can be quite a challenge for the drivers to tackle.
“Patience is always very important, and especially if the weather gets difficult. Being the smartest can be the key, rather than being the fastest. All of our drivers have shown what it takes to do well there and we would really like to see another Toyota win.
“It’s difficult to make significant changes to the car for this one event, but we are introducing a general update for the suspension. It’s also great that we can fit snorkels to the cars, which will not only look quite cool but also help if there is more water on the road.”
