The legendary Safari Rally plays host to the third round of this year's Intercontinental Rally Challenge, providing an epic event that will push drivers and cars to their maximum against a dramatic backdrop.
Although manufacturer points will be allocated over the demanding gravel stages, however, only drivers holding African competition licences will be awarded points towards the individual title.
Based in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, the rally will also host the second round of the FIA African Rally Championship, and last appeared on the IRC schedule in 2007, when it formed the opening round of the series. Last year, it obtained 'Supporter Event' status, before returning the fray for its 57th running.
The rally will begin with a spectator stage in Nairobi on Friday [3 April], before crews head out to Nakuru and the Lake Elementaita region for leg one on Saturday. The second leg will be based closer to Nairobi, around the small town of Athi River, before the finishing ceremony takes place to close the event on Sunday.
The stages will include the watersplashes which have become a well-known highlight of the African classic and, while the weather is expected to be hot and dry, crews will be mindful that sudden storms can strike and turn the stages into a mudbath.
The 2009 Safari will see plenty of local experts in action, which means that a number will start the event with plenty of experience and a good chance of winning. The entry contains a high number of local Mitsubishis, with Kenyan Lee Rose's Lancer Evo IX standing out among them. Rose was well-placed on the most recent IRC event in Africa, the 2007 Safari, until he was forced into retirement with a mechanical problem. As a result, he will be hoping for better luck this year as he leads the competitors off the start ramp.
Other top drivers who originally took part in the 2007 event include Carl Tundo (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX) and Asad Anwar (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII), who finished on the podium when the event was last run as part of the IRC. South African sisters Megan and Lola Verlaque will drive a Super 2000 Volkswagen Polo, a former winner of the South African Rally Championship, while British businessman John Lloyd, who drives a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII, leads the foreign - ie non-African - contingent, having made a speciality of African endurance events. Lloyd's main job is as a stockbroker in London, but he would love to add a strong result on the Safari Rally to his list of achievements.
There is also a solid entry for the IRC 2WD Cup, with no fewer than six Volkswagen Golf GTis eligible to score manufacturer points. This presents a golden opportunity for the German marque to secure points in the 2WD category, just as Mitsubishi is well-placed for a comprehensive score in the main IRC series.
"The Safari Rally has always been a real classic on the world rally calendar and I am sure that this year's challenge will once again provide competitors with an epic and memorable event," IRC motorsport development manager - and 1978 Safari Rally winner - Jean-Pierre Nicolas commented.
"For years, the Safari was known as the world's toughest rally and it's easy to see why. As well as some fantastic action, the route takes in some absolutely beautiful scenery, through the Great Rift Valley, so it's common to see zebra and other wild animals along the route. The Safari is more than just a rally - it is a real experience."
