The 2024 Equator Rally has been postponed due to the heavy rains pounding the country. A statement published by FIA Safety Delegate and ARC coordinator William Louw said the stages are swamped making it impossible for the organisers to access or drive through the routes.
“The African Rally Championship and Kenyan Motorsport Federation (KMSF) wish to notify all of their rally teams and supporters that the 2024 Equator Rally, the iconic and highly-anticipated event in Kenya, will be postponed to a later date. The new dates will be communicated as soon as the administrative processes have been completed,” said Louw.
KMSF applied to the FIA for approval of the date change due to the current circumstances, noting that the request was accepted in principle, but the final decision lies with the World Motorsport Council, who must make the approval before new dates are communicated.
“This is indeed an extraordinary circumstance, and force majeure is indeed the right terminology applicable in the current situation. Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Kenya, and we pray for your safety,” he concluded.
Meanwhile, the opening round of the 2024 FIA Africa Rally Championship (ARC) will start in four days— May 10-12 — in Jinja, Uganda.
Day 1 (Friday) begins with an early morning 6km free practice at Wairaka, before the Shakedown at midday.
Day 2 will feature a long and gruelling experience. The day will kick off at SS1 Macarena 1, a 25.44km stretch a head to SS2 Tadooba for another round of heart-pounding action.
Rally traffic will then head to a remote refuelling station and move to MUBS Jinja for Service ‘A’.
In mid-morning, the drivers will compete in SS3 Katushya and then return to Macarena for SS4 before taking a break.
The afternoon stages (SS6 and SS7) will be at Katushya before ending the day with SS8 Sura Mbaya.
On Sunday, the drivers will tackle four stages as Sura Mbaya host the ninth stage then return to MUBS Service Park in in Jinja. They will then compete at the V-Power stage, head back to Sura Mbaya and finish with SS10 at Macarena, where the winners will be crowned.
