Safari Rally Kenya is a familiar battleground for Kankkunen. He competed in the event 12 times as a driver and claimed victory on three occasions in the legendary rally.
Before the start of the rally, Toyota’s WRC team arranged a special surprise for their new boss. Kalle Rovanperä presented Kankkunen with a framed photo of him behind the wheel and celebrating his 1985 Safari Rally victory, signed by Toyota’s current drivers. That win, exactly 40 years ago, was the first of Kankkunen’s WRC career.
This season, Kankkunen will step in as team principal for the rounds where Toyota’s usual boss, Jari-Matti Latvala, is absent due to his own rallying commitments.
“There’s always a bit pressure. It’s a different job than being on the other side, but I quite enjoy it. I’ve done enough driving, so I’m happy to be in this role now,” Kankkunen said cheerfully on the eve of Safari Rally.
As a driver, Kankkunen overcame many tricky situations and won four WRC titles. Now, he faces a different kind of challenge, watching the action unfold from outside the cockpit.
“Sometimes, I feel even more nervous than when I was driving myself. Back then, I would just smile and drive calmly,” Kankkunen admitted with a laugh.
Kankkunen has a clear approach to how he plans to support Toyota’s top drivers, such as Kalle Rovanperä and Elfyn Evans, throughout the event.
“We have such strong drivers that an older guy like me doesn’t need to give them too much advice. But if they have any questions, I’m happy to answer.”
Kankkunen faces high expectations in his debut role, as Toyota has dominated in Kenya in recent years. Since Safari Rally returned to the WRC calendar in 2021, the Japanese manufacturer has won the event every year.
And that’s not all. In the past four editions of the rally, Toyota has secured two 1-2-3-4 finishes and two 1-2 results. So, what happens if Kankkunen’s leadership doesn’t bring the same level of success?
“There’s a bit of pressure on me, of course. And it won’t be easy to call my bosses afterwards and say, ‘Well, guys, what just happened?’ But that’s how it is,” Kankkunen joked.
Two-time Safari Rally winner Rovanperä is more than happy to have a rally legend as his team principal for the upcoming WRC rounds. He believes that Kankkunen shares a similar leadership style to Latvala.
“What I really like about Juha is that he’s very relaxed. He’s similar to me in that way. I like that feeling, as it gives a relaxed feeling for me and, I think, for everyone else as well,” Rovanperä said.
Safari Rally Kenya kicks off on Thursday with two special stages.
