Multiple Safari winner Carl “Flash” Tundo prevailed in the battle of R5 contraptions after the first loop Leg 1.
On his very first outing in the Minti Motorsport VW Polo R5, Tundo dominated the proceedings to claim the event's first three stages at the expansive Soysambu Conservancy.
Tundo savoured a 1.05.2minutes lead over Onkar Rai in the early morning 14.67km Elementaita 1 run which he cleared in 11.04.1 minutes.
Tundo was at it again on the preceding 20.233km Soysambu stage, where he beat Onkar and South African Guy Botterill by 35.7 and 56.3 seconds respectively.
He was equally lethal on the 30.98km Sleeping Warrior stage after Onkar suffered a second puncture. He beat VW Polo’s Tejveer Rai by a massive 1.59.9 margin.
An excited Tundo said: “It’s pretty rough and wet. I enjoy wet rallies. I am enjoying the new car and getting the hang of it. I would say early days but we are going okay.
Onkar said: “It’s a bit of an unfortunate situation. It’s part of rallying and it happens. We picked up two punctures, one in the first stage and the other in the second stage. We then broke e the control arm in the rough section.”
Meanwhile, Hussein Malik and Linet Ayuko became the first casualties of the event after slipping into a ditch on the first loop of leg 1.
Their Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 10 went off a wet and slippery stretch near a narrow river-crossing of CS2 Soysambu stage.
Subsequent to their excruciating experience, the Version 6 Racing driver (Malik) was left to rue their early exit from the FIA African Rally Championship event.
