By Alex Bossa
FIA has released an entry list of 58 drivers and a similar number of navigators who will participate in the forthcoming Safari World Rally Championships (WRC) in Kenya in June.
The event which kicks off from 24th June 2021 – 27th June 2021 has attracted several world’s top rally drivers after the WRC decided to include the Safari Rally Kenya on its Calendar.
Among the list of entries is a contingent of 5 drivers and 4 navigators from Uganda with Kenya having the majority of entrants. This explains why Kenyans lead the list of past winners of the Safari World Rally Championship.
The list which has no Jas Mangat includes; Ronald Ssebuguzi/ Anthony Mugambwa, Duncan Mubiru/Musa Nsubuga, Hassan Akwi/James Mwangi, Walubi Kephah/Siraji Kyambadde and Yasin Nasser/ Ali Katumba.
Both Ronald Ssebuguzi and Duncan Mubiru are among the seven drivers who did not complete the recently concluded Equator rally in Kenya.
The Ugandan contingent is likely to set off for Kenya on 21st June 2021 and return home on 29th June 2021.
No Ugandan has ever won the Safari Rally Kenya ever since its inception in 1953. Even the legendary Kirji Hirji and Emma Katto could only manage to finish 10th in 1990.
With his Subaru Impreza, Duncan Mubiru will try to find his way to the top while Ronald Ssebuguzi in MITSUBISHI Lancer Evo X will be another hope for Uganda. Hassan Akwi will be navigated by Kenyan James Mwangi in Subaru Impreza.
After the release of the list, it was confirmed that young Kenyan driver Rio Smith along with his navigator Laban Cliff is the only 2WD driver on the entry list where he will be driving an M-Sport Ford Fiesta Rally 4.
Also on the entry list is 91-year-old Polish driver Sobieslaw Zasada who will be appearing for the 9th time at the World cross Championship Safari Rally. He will be navigated by fellow Pol Tomasz Boryslawski in a Ford Fiesta ST Rally3.
The Safari rally is one of the most epic and adventurous motorsport events which cuts across all age groups. And this year will be no different with a lot of fun and memories to take home across the Savannah.
As Grist says, “Never take a safari for granted. It’s not about flat out but being fast yet slow enough not to damage the car”.
ENTRY LIST
| Count | No. | Competitor | DriverCo-Driver | Nat | Car | Class Group | Priority Eligibility |
| 1 | 1 | TOYOTA GAZOO RACING WRT | Sebastien OGIER Julien INGRASSIA | FRAFRA | TOYOTA Yaris WRC | RC1 WRC | P1M |
| 2 | 33 | TOYOTA GAZOO RACING WRT | Elfyn EVANS Scott MARTIN | GBRGBR | TOYOTA Yaris WRC | RC1 WRC | P1M |
| 3 | 11 | HYUNDAI SHELL MOBIS WORLD RALLY TEAM | Thierry NEUVILLE Martijn WYDAEGHE | BELBEL | HYUNDAI i20 Coupé WRC | RC1 WRC | P1M |
| 4 | 8 | HYUNDAI SHELL MOBIS WORLD RALLY TEAM | Ott TÄNAKMartin JÄRVEOJA | ESTEST | HYUNDAI i20 Coupé WRC | RC1 WRC | P1M |
| 5 | 69 | TOYOTA GAZOO RACING WRT | Kalle ROVANPERÄ Jonne HALTTUNEN | FINFIN | TOYOTA Yaris WRC | RC1 WRC | P1M |
| 6 | 18 | TOYOTA GAZOO RACING WRT | Takamoto KATSUTA Daniel BARRITT | JPN GBR | TOYOTA Yaris WRC | RC1 WRC | P1 |
| 7 | 6 | HYUNDAI SHELL MOBIS WORLD RALLY TEAM | Dani SORDO Borja ROZADA | ESPESP | HYUNDAI i20 Coupé WRC | RC1 WRC | P1M |
| 8 | 44 | M-SPORT FORDWORLD RALLY TEAM | Gus GREENSMITH Chris PATTERSON | GBRIRL | FORDFiesta WRC | RC1 WRC | P1M |
| 9 | 16 | M-SPORT FORDWORLD RALLY TEAM | Adrien FOURMAUX Renaud JAMOUL | FRA BEL | FORDFiesta WRC | RC1 WRC | P1M |
| 10 | 7 | HYUNDAI 2C COMPETITION | Pierre-Louis LOUBETFlorian HAUT-LABOURDETTE | FRAFRA | HYUNDAI i20 Coupé WRC | RC1 WRC | P1 M/T |
| 11 | 37 | M-SPORT FORDWORLD RALLY TEAM | Lorenzo BERTELLI Simone SCATTOLIN | ITAITA | FORDFiesta WRC | RC1 WRC | P1 |
| 12 | 20 | TOKSPORT WRT | Andreas MIKKELSEN Ola FLOENE | NORNOR | SKODAFabia Evo | RC2 Rally2 | P2WRC2 |
| 13 | 21 | TOKSPORT WRT | Marco BULACIAMarcelo OHANNESIAN | BOL ARG | SKODAFabia Evo | RC2 Rally2 | P2WRC2 |
| 14 | 22 | M-SPORT FORDWORLD RALLY TEAM | Teemu SUNINEN Mikko MARKKULA | FINFIN | FORDFiesta Mk II | RC2 Rally2 | P2WRC2 |
| 15 | 23 | M-SPORT FORDWORLD RALLY TEAM | Martin PROKOP Viktor CHYTKA | CZECZE | FORDFiesta Mk II | RC2 Rally2 | P2WRC2 |
| 16 | 24 | ONKAR RAI | Onkar RAIDrew STURROCK | KEN GBR | VOLKSWAGENPolo Gti | RC2 Rally2 | P3WRC3 |
| 17 | 25 | CARL TUNDO | Carl TUNDOTimothy JESSOP | KENKEN | VOLKSWAGENPolo Gti | RC2 Rally2 | P3WRC3 |
| 18 | 26 | TEJVEER RAI | Tejveer RAI Gareth DAWE | KEN ZWE | VOLKSWAGENPolo Gti | RC2 Rally2 | P3WRC3 |
| 19 | 27 | KARAN PATEL | Karan PATEL Tauseef KHAN | KENKEN | FORDFiesta | RC2 Rally2 | P3WRC3 |
| 20 | 28 | AAKIF VIRANI | Aakif VIRANI Azhar BHATTI | KENKEN | SKODAFabia | RC2 Rally2 | P3WRC3 |
| 21 | 29 | DANIEL CHWIST | Daniel CHWIST Kamil HELLER | POLPOL | FORDFiesta | RC2 Rally2 | P3WRC3 |
| 22 | 30 | AMAANRAJ SINGH RAI | Amaanraj RAIGurdeep PANESAR | KEN GBR | FORDFiesta | RC2 Rally2 | |
| 23 | 31 | BALDEV CHAGER | Baldev CHAGER Ravi SONI | KENKEN | MISTUBISHI Lancer Evo X | NAT VR4 | |
| 24 | 32 | ERIC BENGI | Eric BENGIPeter MUTUMA | KENKEN | MITSUBISHI Lancer Evo X | NAT VR4 | |
| 25 | 34 | RAAJPAL BHARIJ | Raajpal BHARIJJasneil GHATAURE | KENKEN | MITSUBISHI Lancer Evo X | NAT NR4 | |
| 26 | 35 | IZHAR MIRZA | Izhar MIRZA Kavit DAVE | KENKEN | MITSUBISHI Lancer Evo X | NAT VR4 | |
| 27 | 36 | M-SPORT POLAND | Sobiesław ZASADATomasz BORYSŁAWSKI | POLPOL | FORDFiesta ST Rally3 | RC3 Rally3 | |
| 28 | 38 | GIANCARLO DAVITE | Giancarlo DAVITE Sylvia VINDEVOGEL | ITA BEL | MITSUBISHI Lancer Evo X | NAT VR4 | |
| 29 | 39 | JASMEET CHANA | Jasmeet CHANA Ravinder CHANA | KENKEN | MITSUBISHI Lancer Evo X | NAT NR4 | |
| 30 | 40 | DILRAJ CHATTHE | Dilraj CHATTHE Gregory STEAD | KEN ZWE | MITSUBISHI Lancer Evo X | NAT VR4 | |
| 31 | 41 | ISSA AMWARI | Issa AMWARI Job NJIRU | KENKEN | MITSUBISHI Lancer Evo X | NAT NR4 | |
| 32 | 42 | RONALD SSEBUGUZI | Ronald SSEBUGUZIAnthony MUGAMBWA | UGAUGA | MITSUBISHI Lancer Evo X | NAT NR4 | |
| 33 | 43 | PIETRO CANOBBIO | Pietro CANOBBIO Alberto MARCON | KENITA | MITSUBISHI Lancer Evo X | NAT VR4 | |
| Count | No. | Competitor | DriverCo-Driver | Nat | Car | Class Group | Priority Eligibility |
| 34 | 45 | PARAS PANDYA | Paras PANDYA Falgun BHOJAK | KENKEN | MITSUBISHI Lancer Evo X | NAT NR4 | |
| 35 | 46 | YASIN NASSER | Yasin NASSER Ali KATUMBA | UGAUGA | SUBARUImpreza | NAT NR4 | |
| 36 | 47 | SOHANJEET SINGH PUEE | Sohanjeet PUEE Adnan DIN | KENKEN | MITSUBISHI Lancer Evo X | NAT NR4 | |
| 37 | 48 | HAMZA ANWAR | Hamza ANWARRiyaz ISMAIL | KENKEN | FORD Fiesta ST Rally3 | RC3 Rally3 | |
| 38 | 49 | MCRAE KIMATHI | McRae KIMATHI Shameer YUSUF | KENKEN | FORDFiesta ST Rally3 | RC3 Rally3 | |
| 39 | 50 | EVANS KAVISI | Evans KAVISIAbsolom ASWANI | KENKEN | MITSUBISHI Lancer Evo X | NAT NR4 | |
| 40 | 51 | MINESH RATHOD | Minesh RATHOD Zahir SHAH | KENKEN | MITSUBISHI Lancer Evo X | NAT VR4 | |
| 41 | 52 | NIKHIL SACHANIA | Nikhil SACHANIA Deep PATEL | GBR KEN | MITSUBISHI Lancer Evo X | NAT NR4 | |
| 42 | 53 | JOHN NG’ANG’A | John NG’ANG’A Edward NDUKUI | KENKEN | SUBARUImpreza | NAT NR4 | |
| 43 | 54 | DUNCAN MUBIRU | Duncan MUBIRU Musa NSUBUGA | UGAUGA | SUBARUImpreza | NAT NR4 | |
| 44 | 55 | STEPHEN MWANGI | Stephen MWANGI Dennis MWENDA | KENKEN | SUBARUImpreza | NAT NR4 | |
| 45 | 56 | HASSAN ALWI | Hassan ALWI James MWANGI | UGA KEN | SUBARUImpreza | NAT NR4 | |
| 46 | 57 | NZIOKA WAITA | Nzioka WAITA Tuta MIONKI | KENKEN | MITSUBISHI Lancer Evo X | NAT NR4 | |
| 47 | 58 | WALUBI KEPHER | Walubi KEPHERSirajih T. KYAMBADDE | UGAUGA | MITSUBISHI Lancer Evo X | NAT NR4 | |
| 48 | 59 | HUSSAIN MALIK | Hussain MALIK Linet AYUKO | KENKEN | MITSUBISHI Lancer Evo X | NAT NR4 | |
| 49 | 60 | DAREN MIRANDA | Daren MIRANDA Wayne FERNANDES | KENKEN | SUBARUImpreza | NAT NR4 | |
| 50 | 61 | ADIL MUGHAL | Adil MUGHALZaib Azhar HAMID | KENKEN | SUBARU Impreza | NAT NR4 | |
| 51 | 62 | EDWARD MAINA | Edward MAINA Tony GICHOHI | KENKEN | SUBARUImpreza | NAT NR4 | |
| 52 | 63 | REHAN SHAH | Rehan SHAHHarshil LIMBANI | KENKEN | SUBARUImpreza | NAT NR4 | |
| 53 | 64 | JEREMY WAHOME | Jeremy WAHOMEVictor OKUNDI | KENKEN | FORDFiesta ST Rally3 | RC3 Rally3 | |
| 54 | 65 | OSMAN ABDULAHI | Osman ABDULAHI Evans MWENDA | KENKEN | SUBARUImpreza | NAT NR4 | |
| 55 | 66 | ANDREW WANYOIKE MUIRURI | Andrew MUIRURI Edward NDUKUI | KENKEN | SUBARUImpreza | NAT NR4 | |
| 56 | 67 | RIO SMITH | Rio SMITH Laban CLIFF | KENKEN | FORDFiesta | RC4 Rally4 | |
| 57 | 68 | JOSIAH KARIUKI | Josiah KARIUKI John NGUGI | KENKEN | MITSUBISHI Lancer Evo 9 | NAT NR4 | |
| 58 | 70 | MAXINE WAHOME | Maxine WAHOME Chantal YOUNG | KENKEN | SUBARUImpreza | NAT NR4 |
Approved by the FIA 28.5.2021