2020 Safari Rally
68. KCB Safari Rally Kenya
Part of the 2020 World Rally Championship
The return of Rally Kenya was delayed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Host country Kenya
Rally baseNairobi, Nairobi County
Held onScheduled for 16–19 July 2020
Start locationKasarani, Nairobi
Finish locationHell's Gate National Park, Naivasha
Stages18 (315.12 km; 195.81 miles)[1]
Stage surfaceGravel
Transport distance709.98 km (441.16 miles)
Overall distance1,025.10 km (636.97 miles)
Statistics
CancellationRally cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2020 Safari Rally (also known as the KCB Safari Rally Kenya 2020) was a motor racing event for rally cars that was scheduled to be held over four days between 16 and 19 July 2020,[2] but was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[3] It was set to mark the sixty-eighth running of Safari Rally and planned to be the seventh round of the 2020 World Rally Championship, World Rally Championship-2 and World Rally Championship-3. The 2020 event was scheduled to be based in Nairobi in Nairobi County and consisted of eighteen special stages covering a total competitive distance of 315.12 km (195.81 mi).[1]

Colin McRae and Nicky Grist were the overall reigning rally winners, but they would not defend their titles as they were no longer active in the sport.[4] Ford World Rally Team, the team they drove for in 2002, when Safari Rally held a World Rally Championship event last time, were the defending manufacturers' winners.[4] However, they would not defend the rally either as they withdrew from the championship at the end of 2012.[5]

Background

Route

The itinerary was shortened around 500 km (310.7 mi).[6]

Itinerary

All dates and times were EAT (UTC+3).

Date Time No. Stage name Distance
— 13:01 — KWS Naivasha [Shakedown] 5.30 km
Leg 1 — 136.08 km
— 14:08 SS1 Super Special Kasarani 4.80 km
08:20 SS2 Chui Lodge 1 13.34 km
09:16 SS3 Kedong 1 33.43 km
10:29 SS4 Oserian 1 18.87 km
13:34 SS5 Chui Lodge 2 13.34 km
14:30 SS6 Kedong 2 33.43 km
15:43 SS7 Oserian 2 18.87 km
Leg 2 — 131.94 km
— 08:08 SS8 Elmentaita 1 14.64 km
09:08 SS9 Soysambu 1 20.33 km
10:22 SS10 Sleeping Warrior 1 31.00 km
14:08 SS11 Elmentaita 2 14.64 km
15:08 SS12 Soysambu 2 20.33 km
16:22 SS13 Sleeping Warrior 2 31.00 km
Leg 3 — 51.90 km
— 07:55 SS14 Loldia 1 11.27 km
09:08 SS15 Hells Gate 1 10.39 km
10:44 SS16 Malewa 8.58 km
11:27 SS17 Loldia 2 11.27 km
13:18 SS18 Hells Gate 2 [Power Stage] 10.39 km
Source:[1]

Preparation and cancellation

The return of the Safari Rally was long pushed by the FIA president Jean Todt.[7] A candidate event was successfully run in 2019, with WRC safety delegate Michèle Mouton visited the rally.[8] On 27 September 2019, the rally was officially announced to be a part of the championship for the first time since 2002.[9] However, the COVID-19 pandemic delayed its return to the championship to 2021.[3]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Rally Guide 1" (PDF). safarirally.co.ke. Safari Rally. p. Appendix I. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
  2. ↑ Herrero, Daniel (27 September 2019). "Australia drops off WRC calendar in 2020". speedcafe.com. Speedcafe. Retrieved 28 September 2019.
  3. 1 2 Thukral, Rachit (15 May 2020). "WRC News: Kenya's Safari Rally cancelled due to coronavirus". autosport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
  4. 1 2 "50. Inmarsat Safari Rally 2002". ewrc-results.com. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
  5. ↑ O'Leary, Jamie (16 October 2012). "Ford to pull works backing from the WRC". Autosport.com. Haymarket Publications. Archived from the original on 18 October 2012. Retrieved 16 October 2012.
  6. ↑ Evans, David (18 April 2019). "Safari Rally told to toughen up route ahead of planned WRC comeback". motorsport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  7. ↑ "WRC signs agreement for 'modern-era' Safari Rally". motorsport.com. Motorsport Network. 22 June 2018. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  8. ↑ Evans, David (9 July 2020). "Candidate event proves Safari deserves 2020 return - WRC Promoter". motorsport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  9. ↑ "Safari back in 2020". wrc.com. WRC Promoter GmbH. 27 September 2019. Retrieved 28 September 2019.
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