Why 2023 Safari Rally Championship Risks Cancellation

A photo of a Toyota Gazoo Racing car in action during the 2022 WRC Safari Rally Championships staged in Nakuru County.
A photo of a Toyota Gazoo Racing car in action during the 2022 WRC Safari Rally Championships staged in Nakuru County.
PHOTO:
Courtesy
Toyota Gazoo Racing

The  2023 Safari Rally Championship suffered a huge blow after the indefinite cancellation of the Equator Rally due to financial related reasons.

The international event was scheduled to take place between Friday, March 17, and Sunday, March 19.

The Kenya Motorsports Federation (KMSF) cited the delay by the government to release funds as the reason for the postponement.

Also Read: FIA Unveils Dates for WRC Safari Rally in Kenya

KMSF contacted the International Automobile Federation (FIA), requesting the postponement of the high-profile event, hoping that they would land sponsorship for the event in the near future.

The event is usually used as a test run for East Africa’s biggest motorsport championship - Safari Rally.

In 2021 and 2022, the event, which is part of the African Rally Council (ARC) was held in the Safari Rally course in Naivasha.

However, this year the organizers decided to have it run in Voi, Taita Taveta County. 

This year’s WRC Safari Rally championship is scheduled to take place between Thursday, June 22, and Sunday, June 25 in Naivasha, Nakuru County. 

The event which returned in 2021 after a 19 years hiatus is arguably the biggest sporting event in the country. 

Thousands of fans from different parts of the country usually travel to Naivasha to witness the spectacular and enjoy themselves. 

Should this year’s edition be cancelled, it would not only impact fans but also hundreds of business persons who have reaped huge profits from the event in the past two years.

Also Read: How Queen Elizabeth Inspired the Birth of Safari Rally