Reconnaissance for the 2022 WRC Safari Rally Kenya closed yesterday as the focus turned on the 5.4km Loldia Shakedown stage in the expansive Ndulele Conservancy.
Here, crews will savour the opportunity to test their competition cars on a terrain similar to the rally before the event starts on Thursday.
Competitors will drive through Wednesday’s Shakedown Stage at least three times, with all passes being timed.
The first car will run its first pass at 10.01am, giving spectators the first look at the state-of-the-art hybrid-powered contraptions which were introduced into the World Rally Championship (WRC) in the 2022 season-opening Monte Carlo Rally.
Drivers have predicted another tough run in Kenya after completing a rigorous two-day reconnaissance which saw them go round the 1223.77km route course.
Hyundai driver Craig Breen, who will be making his debut in Kenya, spoke of culture shock as he endured a whole new experience in reconnaissance.
“I wasn’t here last year, so I am looking forward to the new adventure in Kenya. I have seen different places during reconnaissance and this is definitely the toughest route in the WRC. It’s a big culture shock obviously because I haven’t been to Kenya before.”
“Kenya is a beautiful country and I’m looking forward to seeing what the rally would be in the coming days,” Breen commented of his experience in the lakeside city.
Oliver Solberg of Hyundai enjoyed his reconnaissance session and said he was looking forward to ending his bad run in Kenya which started in reconnaissance.
“My first Safari recce last year was a good experience. But things didn’t work as I expected. This year, we are much better prepared with more testing of the car, so hopefully we can have a good run here."
He added: The conditions are the same for everybody, but I mean, you have to be clever in this rally. As you saw last year, Ogier was just controlling…controlling… the car, and eventually, he emerged the winner.”
