NAIROBI, March 20 (Xinhua) -- The 2025 World Rally Championship (WRC) Safari Rally officially kicked off on Thursday, with Kenyan President William Ruto flagging off the cars in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya.
The Safari Rally is the third event of the 2025 14-event WRC calendar and will conclude in the Rift Valley town of Naivasha, 90km northwest of Nairobi, on Sunday.
Speaking before flagging off ten of the 34 cars that started the grueling first gravel rally of the season, President Ruto urged the country's private sector to take up the costs of hosting the event.
Kenya's initial deal with the world governing body, the FIA and WRC Promoter, to stage Africa's leg of the global championship expires this year. However, the parties signed another contract in 2024 to extend the partnership for an extra year.
"I have it on the authority of WRC and FIA reports that the Safari Rally is one of the most eagerly anticipated events worldwide, while the Hell's Gate Power Stage is among the most-watched globally. Additionally, the famous Miti Mbili jump in Kedong is one of the most iconic images in the WRC rally world," Ruto said.
"The future of the Safari Rally depends on increased private sector involvement, and I commend the WRC Safari Rally team for raising over 400 million shillings (about 3.1 million U.S. dollars), both directly and indirectly," Ruto said.
The president further announced that the cost of hosting the famous rally to the Kenyan taxpayer has been reduced by more than half, from just over 17 million dollars to 7.5 million dollars between 2023 and 2025.
He also stated that Kenya will support the FIA's Affordable Cross Car project, aimed at creating more opportunities for the country's youth to participate in motorsport.
"I thank the FIA for providing free design blueprints for these cars and encouraging local manufacturing while minimizing costs. I urge our local motorsport federation to collaborate with the Technical and Vocational Training Authority to make local production a reality," Ruto declared.
The president also revealed that he had held a meeting with FIA's Helmet Wearing Program representatives on Thursday morning, aimed at enhancing the road safety of Kenya's thousands of commercial motorcyclists, locally known as 'Boda Boda' riders.
The program, implemented in Kenya by the Automobile Association of Kenya with support from the FIA Safe and Sustainable Mobility Grants Program, is funded by the FIA Foundation.
"By providing life-saving helmets, this initiative reinforces our national commitment to reducing road fatalities in line with our 2024-2028 National Road Safety Plan," he said.
Following the ceremonial start, the drivers proceeded to Kasarani, 16km west of the capital, for the event's first competitive session, the Super Special Stage (SSS).
Championship leader Elfyn Evans of Toyota Gazoo topped the time charts in 3:09.0 to take an early lead, while world champion Thierry Neuville (Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT) finished second.
After the SSS, the cars proceeded to Naivasha for the first competitive stage on gravel, the 8.3km Mzabibu Stage, which is a brand-new section for the event.3
This is the first Safari Rally since its return to the WRC in 2021 to feature two competitive stages on the opening day. Organizers added the Mzabibu Stage following a request from drivers who desired to compete in more than one section on the rally's first day. ■
