Kalle Rovanpera has won the 2024 WRC Safari Rally after a near perfect run the competition that saw many of his rivals have mechanical issues. He was followed by Katsuta Takamoto and Adrien Fourmaux.
The top position was claimed by Kalle Rovanpera, the World Rally Champion in a Toyota Yaris, after clocking 3:36:04.0. Rovanpera successfully secured victory at the WRC Safari Rally for the second time, having also won in 2022.
Taking the second position was another Toyota Yaris driver, Katsuta Takamoto, with a time of 3:37:41.8. Evans Elyn, also piloting a Toyota Yaris, settled for fourth place with a time of 3:40:24.2.
Navigated by Alexandre Coria in the M-Sport’s Ford Puma, French rally star Adrien Fourmaux clocked a time of 3:38:29.1 to secure third place in the rally, finishing 1 minute and 37 seconds behind Toyota Yaris’ Katsuta Takamoto and 2 minutes and 25 seconds behind the two-time Safari Rally champion Kalle Rovanpera.
Meanwhile, Carl “Flash” Tundo, navigated by Jessop Tim, led the Kenyan team, finishing 7th in the WRC2 category and securing the 16th position overall with a time of 4:41:09.6, ahead of another Kenyan, Karan Patel, who finished 9th in the category and 18th overall after clocking 5:09:33.1.
Hamza Anwar, sponsored by Safaricom, settled for top position in the WRC3 category and securing the 22nd position overall after clocking a time of 6:16:11.8.
This year, Safaricom invested Ksh. 36 million in cash and in kind to provide seamless and speedy 5G/4G network connectivity through the provision of Cell on Wheels (COW) units on the ground and 2 media centers to ensure uninterrupted connectivity and livestreaming of the four-day rally event.
As part of this sponsorship, Ksh. 5 million in cash was allocated to support Hamza Anwar, the young Kenyan driver competing in the WRC3 category and driving a Rally 3 Ford Fiesta.
Additionally, M-PESA partnered with M-Sport Ford, to sponsor Adrien Fourmaux to the tune of Ksh. 20 million for the 2024 WRC Safari Rally. The sponsorship deal will allow Adrien’s Ford Puma Hybrid Rally1 to display the M-PESA branding for the Safari Rally in Kenya, while his overalls will carry the branding for the rest of the season.