NAIROBI, Kenya, May 31 – Kenya’s premier radio station Capital FM on Monday entered into a partnership with WRC Safari Rally to become the official English Broadcast Station for the global showpiece to run June 24-27 in Kenya.
Preparations for the event that will be returning to Kenya for the first time in 19-years are at an advanced stage with the Service Park scheduled to open June 11 to everyone while the Media Center that will host international and local journalist will be up by June 21.
Speaking during the signing of the deal at the WRC Safari Rally secretariat located at the Moi International Sports Center Kasarani, Capital Group Limited Commercial Director, Farida Idris said the partnership affirms the station’s support for sports in the country.
“Today is a proud moment not only for Capital Group and WRC Safari Rally but for rally fans and Kenya at large. Kenya is truly a blessed Sporty Nation, before we go for the Tokyo Olympics, our local rally drivers are ready to take on international drivers at this year’s WRC Safari Rally,” Farida said.
She added: “Capital Group is proud to partner with WRC Safari Rally as the official Local English Broadcast Station hereby joining other partners like the Government of Kenya, KCB and FIA who have all teamed up with WRC Safari Rally Kenya to make this event a success.”
“We continue to celebrate legendary rally drivers Ian Duncan, Patrick Njiru, Azar Anwar, Carl Tundo, the late Jonathan Moi and Phineas Kimathi who put Kenya on the world headlines as a respectable rally nation. As Capital Group, we enjoy a huge following from many motorsports fans and from the 24th to 27th June, we shall be on there to give our fans fast hand information,” Farida said.
WRC Safari Rally CEO, Phineas Kimathi welcomed the partnership saying that appointment comes as part of Capital FM’s relationship with Kenya Motorsport Federation for many years.
“We are delighted to appoint Capital FM as our official English radio broadcast partner. We have partnered with Capital FM for a number of years and today its great day, I’m delighted to say that Capital Fm is going to broadcast all he highlights of the rally beginning today,” Kimathi added.
The epic and eagerly-awaited WRC event will revolve around Lake Naivasha and Lake Elementeita within the renowned ecosystem.
The event will feature the three WRC manufacturer teams namely Toyota Gazoo Racing, M-Sport Ford and Hyundai Motorsport WRT.
WRC defending champion and current leader Sebastien Ogier headlines a star-studded list of 52 top drivers to battle for supremacy in the WRC Safari Rally slated to run from June 24-27 in Naivasha.
Ogier, the Frenchman, who also won the 2019 WRC title, will represent the Toyota Gazoo Racing Team with other entries seeing Elfyn Evans, Kalle Rovanpera and Takamoto Katsuta who will be competing in the WRC RC1 category in the Toyota Yaris.
Hyundai will be represented by Thierry Neuville, Ott Tanak and Dani Sordo while M-sport Ford have rolled up their sleeves and are not taking chances, bringing in Gus Greensmith, Adrien Fourmaux, Teemu Sunninien, Lorenzo Bertelli and Martin Prokop.
The list released today also boasts over 30 locals in the support categories led by R5 speedsters Carl ‘Flash’ Tundo, Onkar Rai, Tejveer Rai, and Karan Patel.
Tundo will drive the Minti Motorsport VW Polo which he used during the Equator Rally. Onkar and his elder brother Tejveer will also join the event behind the wheel of a VW Polo R5.
Karan Patel has entered a Ford Fiesta R5. He is the only Kenyan driver to have driven in WRC in recent years when he ran five European-based events.
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