After playing second fiddle to Toyota Gazoo Racing over the past three editions of the WRC Safari, M-Sport Ford World Rally Team will seek to turn the tables in Naivasha on March 28-31.
M-Sport have never won the Safari since its return to the big stage in 2021.
The last time a Ford won the iconic Kenyan event was during the 50th Inmarsat Safari Rally of July 12–14, 2002, when the late Colin McRae and his United Kingdom compatriot Nicky Grist powered their Ford Focus RS to victory.
M-Sport’s Adrien Fourmaux starts this year’s event after his maiden podium in Sweden, while Grégoire Munster and Jourdan Serderidis complete the British team’s line-up.
Toyota Gazoo Racing has Elfyn Evans, ‘Flying Finn’ Kalle Rovanpera and Japanese Takamoto Katsuta.
Hyundai WRT will be represented by current leader Thierry Neuville, Tanaka and the winner in Sweden last month, Esapekka Lappi.
Last year, Tänak showed great skills for M-Sport in Naivasha, collecting two stage wins and a handful of top-five times.
Having made progress with the car’s set-up of the Puma Rally1, Tänak benefitted from his increasing knowledge of the marque, finishing sixth after a faultless performance with four additional Power Stage points.
With Jourdan Serderidis, competing in his third consecutive Safari, the Greek speed merchant will be back competing in his favourite event. Unfortunately, a technical issue on the Saturday run saw his run end abruptly last year.
M-Sport Team Principal, Richard Millener, said on the team’s website: “2024 will see us take a new and different approach compared to the previous year. Developing and helping young talent prove themselves is an exciting way to tackle a WRC season, and with several of the top drivers not competing across the full championship, we have opportunities to put in some strong and surprising performances.”
“Adrien and Gregoire are all great guys who possess a lot of determination and motivation. A young team can create great energy and great things can come from that so I cannot wait to see them all again to show what’s up their sleeves on Safari.”
Meanwhile, the battle in WRC2 will be as exciting as ever with the likes of Oliver Solberg, Gus Greensmith, Nicolas Ciamin and Kajetan Kajetanowicz all vying for victory.
Local drivers including Carl ‘Flash’ Tundo and Karan Patel should not be ruled out, and neither should FIA Junior WRC regular Diego Domínguez, who will make his WRC2 debut in a Citroën C3.
