• Shakedown: The opportunity for crews to test their competition cars on terrain similar to the rally before the event starts.
• Ceremonial start: Usually held on a Thursday when crews drive onto a podium, greet the fans and give a short interview before making way for the next car.
Image: JACK OWUOR
You are probably one of those diehard WRC Safari Rally fans headed for Naivasha or keeping abreast with proceedings of the event remotely, and you are baffled by the rally jargon. Well, here’s your weekend guide for the event.
Ceremonial start
Usually held on a Thursday when crews drive onto a podium, greet the fans and give a short interview before making way for the next car. Ceremonial starts often take place against spectacular backdrops or in the centre of the host city. Safari’s Ceremonial Start has always been based at KICC.
Co-driver
The navigator in the passenger seat gives a running commentary through an intercom to the driver about directional changes and road conditions ahead.
Flying finish
The end of a stage where the timing stops.
Junior WRC
The WRC’s young talent series formerly known as the WRC Academy. This year, Kenyan driver McRae Kimathi is running a full campaign for the Championship.
Remote Service
A service period that takes place away from the Service Park at an outside location. Only parts carried in the rally car itself can be changed.
Road Book
A set of instructions and route maps issued to each crew by rally organisers.
Road section
Sometimes called a liaison section. This is the public road which links the special stages, service points and parc fermé. Drivers must obey all applicable traffic laws on-road sections.
Roll Cage
A structure of high carbon steel tubes welded inside the passenger compartment of a rally car and designed to keep the driver and co-driver safe in case of an impact or roll-over.
Running order (Start order)
The order in which competitors tackle the stages. Current WRC leader Kalle Rovanpera will play the role of road opening on Friday in Naivasha.
Scrutineers
FIA-sanctioned technical officials who check the legality of WRC cars before, during, and after each event.
Sequential Gearbox
The type fitted to most WRC cars. Gear selections are typically made by a steering-wheel-mounted paddle rather than the traditional 'H' gate manual system typically found on production cars.
Service
There are usually three service periods during a WRC day – 15 minutes in the morning, 30 minutes at lunchtime, and 45 minutes in the evening. Teams can perform repairs or modifications to cars during these periods, and select tires of their choice for the following loop of stages.
Shakedown
The opportunity for crews to test their competition cars on terrain similar to the rally before the event starts. Competitors must drive through the shakedown stage at least three times, with all passes timed.
Stages
The competitive sections of the rally are also called special stages, where drivers and co-drivers drive as fast as they can to complete the section in the shortest time possible.
Super Special Stages (SSS)
A stage – often set up in a sports stadium – with two parallel tracks that enable two drivers to race each other. Super-special stages are also run in city centre locations.
Time Control
The place where cars must stop to get an official passing time recorded by rally officials.
Time Penalty
Rally crews are penalised 10 seconds for every minute the car is late to a time control – for instance a stage start, service-in control, service-out control. Checking-in early to a time control carries a stiffer penalty of one minute for every minute early.
WRC2
WRC2 is the leading support series (Manufacturer) to the FIA World Rally Championship.
WRC3
WRC3 is the support series (Private Teams) to the FIA World Rally Championship. This year’s WRC Safari has five entries, four of whom are Kenyan FIA Rally Stars-McRae Kimathi, Jeremy Wahome, Maxine Wahome, and Hamza Anwar.
WRC Promoter
WRC Promoter GmbH is a joint company of Red Bull Media House and KW25. It is responsible for all commercial aspects of the FIA WRC, including broadcast formats, TV production, and the marketing of global media and sponsorship rights.
Zero cars
A course car is driven through a stage before the competitors start to alert spectators that the section is live. The zero car is preceded by the triple zero and double zero cars.