THE BIGGEST TEST
There are some challenges in motorsport that always deserve attention and have won a place in the hearts of fans for being the blueprint for what a competitive event should encapsulate. On the circuits, there are things like the Le Mans 24 Hours and the Indy 500 that stand as untouchable for their history, difficulty and their place among the truly remarkable events. Rallying has its own too and it is the Safari Rally. Kalle Rovanpera’s victory on last weekend’s 71st edition of the East African adventure for Toyota marked not only a reminder of the young Finn’s innate ability, but also showed that he is an expert at reading the road and avoiding all the pitfalls that halted many more experienced hands in Kenya.
When the Safari Rally joined the World championship roster in 1973, it didn’t feature special stages as there are in the current era, but it was a mammoth 3300 miles with 56 time control points over the five days of competition.
Last weekend’s event was a walk in the park by direct comparison at just over 220 competitive miles and 19 stages, but it offers the modernday drivers a snapshot into what things used to be like in the past.
But the fesh-fesh, the sandy surface that all the cars have to battle through, and that can cunningly disguise some hazards, still offers a stern test. For evidence of that, look no further than the 20-minute spread between the top eight points-scoring finishers…
While Rovanpera was masterful last weekend, team-mate Elfyn Evans’ drive to fourth place was the kind of performance that can lay some solid foundations for a title attack. He was on stage-winning pace when he could be, but myriad punctures literally deflated his winning challenge. He wasn’t broken by the missed chance, but battled on to limit the damage to championship leader Thierry Neuville and is now only six points in arrears. Next up on the schedule is Rally Croatia, where the Welshman has had a win and a second place over the course of the last three editions. Now would be the right time to turn the screw…
Elsewhere in this issue, we bring you all the action from the opening round of the British GT championship, which took place at Oulton Park over the course of the Bank Holiday weekend. The deadline of MN means we are able to bring you the race one action and the second race – plus all of the other races which took place on Easter Monday – will feature in this newspaper on April 11.