The event returned to the WRC calendar after nearly a 20-year hiatus for the 2021 season. Back in the years 1996-2002, Africa witnessed up to 1,000 kilometers of special stages, but nowadays, the rally is squeezed into the WRC format.
For instance, this year’s Safari Rally features just under 370 kilometers, which fits better into the hectic modern world but somewhat contradicts the traditional essence of the Safari. Before the event, Kenyan President William Ruto expressed his hope that the rally could be extended in the future.
“The Safari Rally runs for four days but we would like to revert to the old tradition when it featured longer distances. I direct our Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba to start engaging the FIA and the WRC Promoter on possibilities of a much longer version of Safari,” Ruto stated at the ceremonial start on Thursday.
“I think it is time to consider the request by drivers to return the rally to the five days it used to be,” Ruto continued.
This year, there are practically three real racing days, as only one super special stage was run on Thursday. The International Automobile Federation (FIA) and the WRC Promoter have previously mentioned that they indeed want more variety in the WRC events.
“We are trying to give organisers more scope and freedom to develop the rally that works for them. With the meeting in Kenya, they wanted to go outside Nairobi and have a second base in Mombasa, for instance, and do something of that nature,” said WRC working group boss David Richards earlier to Motorsport.com.
“Let’s look at what they are proposing and see if it fits in. We’re not saying yes, we’re not saying no, but we are certainly saying let’s look at these ideas and see if it works for the World Rally Championship.”
If President Ruto’s wish is granted, next year Kenya could host a significantly longer WRC rally than the current format. This season, for instance, the rally in Sardinia is run in a much shorter format compared to the current WRC structure.
