• Aakif beat his closest challenger Carl "Flash" Tundo
• The Nairobi based businessman was voted for the coveted award by Kenya Motor Sport Federation (KMSF) competitors licence holders and Commissions.
Image: COURTESY
Division One champion Aakif Virani is the 2021 Motorsport Personality of the year.
The Skoda Fabia-R5 driver achieved the feat during a colourful ceremony held at the WRC Safari Rally secretariat in Kasarani. Aakif, who was feted in absentia, beat his closest challenger Carl "Flash" Tundo.
"It's such a great feeling to be recognized for my hard work. It hasn't sunk in yet. I hope to up my game this season and perform even better," said Aakif who spoke to the gala night audience on zoom.
The Nairobi-based businessman was voted for the coveted award by Kenya Motor Sport Federation (KMSF) competitors licence holders and Commissions.
Aakif registered his maiden KNRC win during KCB Nanyuki Rally 2021 after Tundo was disqualified for being pushed from the end of the power stage by Jasmeet Chana.
Linet Ayuko was voted the KNRC Navigator of the year after a series of top ten positions. Ayuko, who navigated Maxine Wahome in Division Two and Hussein Malik in Division One racked up unassailable points in the Division Two navigators championship but failed to meet the 75% threshold to be eligible for a title.
Division One driver Mcrae Kimathi was awarded the FIA ARC Junior Championship for Drivers as well as the FIA ARC 3 title. His navigator Mwangi Kioni savoured the ARC 3 Championship for co-drivers.
The occasion also saw the chief guest and Sports CS Amb Amina Mohamed officially present the FIA Founding Member's Club Heritage Cup to winner Robert Dewar.
Dewar, the brains behind the annual Africa Concours d'Elegance racked up the trophy at the FIA Awards Gala in Paris in December. CS Amina lauded all the winners for a great season of motorsports. She expressed optimism in the season ahead adding that the FIA confirmed that the Safari Rally will retain its global status for the next five years
"Safari was the most followed WRC event in 2021, which is a major milestone. We also opened the Safari Rally office in Finland to help market Kenyan products and tourism. What's more, the Safari Greening Project in which Kenya hopes to plant 18 million trees in three years across the country was a major success," said Amina.
Kenya Motor Sports Federation (KMSF) chairman, Phineas Kimathi, launched the National Competition Rules for 2022, announcing major technical changes.
Kimathi announced the scrapping of KNRC Premier Class which has been replaced by the existing Division One Class.
He said Rally Raid cars (T1 and T5) will now be allowed to enter the KNRC. "The 2021 season was a great success. We were able to incorporate tarmac racing into its schedule by introducing the Motorkhana in Kenya for the first time."