• The former multiple Kenyan 2WD Champion says he’ll kick-start preparation with a test drive in Kajiado area
• Jasmeet has driven in the Safari since 2007 as a Formula Two entrant
Image: COURTESY
Kenya National Rally Championship Premier Class driver Jasmeet Singh Chana aka “Iceman” believes meticulous preparation will be key to a successful Safari Rally.
The former multiple Kenyan 2WD Champion says he’ll kick-start preparation with a test drive in Kajiado area. “After this, the team will embark on its final phase of preparation,” he noted.
“Safari is here with us again and it’s definitely going to be a tough one especially if rains persist. But at the same time, we have our eyes firmly set on double points and a top five overall result. To achieve this, it means driving cautiously. We will try and push where we can.”
“Our tests begin from next weekend and we intend to run them for the next two weeks. From there, we will dismantle the car again and rebuild it for Safari. After the last rally in Kajiado, we had a little bit of overheating problems, so we got our Italy-based engineer here, who came down and got the car remapped again. We did a small test and the car seemed to run well.”
Jasmeet has driven in the Safari since 2007 as a Formula Two entrant and believes it's not all about driving fast but using your head.
“It’s about driving with a plan,” he quipped.
“We all want Safari to regain its lost World Rally Championship status. It’s a very big thing for us and as competitors, we are overly excited to be part of the WRC candidate event in July.”
The 4.30km Super Special Stages at Kasarani Stadium will zoom off the 67th Safari on July 5 after the FIA approved supplementary regulations and granted the Safari rally a permit to run as a World Rally Championship (WRC) Candidate Event and the Africa Rally Championship (ARC) round.
The SSS will be the highlight of the opening day where cars will race side by side within the expansive Kasarani Stadium open grounds offering a un-obstructed view of the action which starts at 10:26 am.
The WRC Safari Rally Project CEO Phineas Kimathi said the other highlight is the ceremonial start outside the President Entrance of the main stadium pavilion, a shift from the traditional Kenyatta International Convention Centre in central Nairobi.