NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 27 – Kenya’s sensational rally driver McRae Kimathi and his navigator Mwangi Kioni finished fourth in the Junior World Rally Championship (WRC) category in the Rally Sweden.
Kimathi and his compatriot Kioni made history by becoming the first Kenyans to finish WRC Rally Sweden.
“It’s such a great feeling. I mean first time on snow and fourth overall is such an amazing feeling,” Kimathi said.
Jon Armstrong piled the pressure on Lauri Joona to swoop into the FIA Junior WRC top spot late on Saturday at Rally Sweden.
The Ulsterman started the day 7.7sec down on his M-Sport Poland Ford Fiesta Rally3 rival, but moved in front after going 8.0sec quicker on the Brattby opener.
Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy youngster William Creighton remained on course for his maiden Junior WRC podium 1min 17.3sec adrift of the leaders, whilst East African debutant Mcrae Kimathi ended fourth.
Sami Pajari and Robert Virves restarted after their Friday retirements and held fifth and sixth respectively. Although almost 50min back from the lead, Pajari won five of the six special stages.
“It’s been crazy,” said Armstrong said: adding: “I got into a better rhythm this afternoon than I did in the morning and I really tried to neaten up my driving.
“It’s nice to be leading,” he continued. “I wasn’t expecting that when I came here, so I’m really happy and we’re having fun.”
Kalle Rovanpera won the event outright to storm to the summit of the World Rally Championship (WRC) after two rounds in France and Sweden.
Andreas Mikkelsen emerged as WRC2 winner after a three-day tussle with fellow Norwegian Ole Christian Veiby at Rally Sweden.
It was a scintillating battle between two good friends as they traded times from start to finish.
Veiby set the initial pace and built a small lead through Friday, but surrendered the position to Mikkelsen after dropping around 20sec with a stall at SS7.
Škoda Fabia Rally2 star Mikkelsen edged out a small buffer on Saturday afternoon and carried a 10.9sec lead into the final day, but Veiby more than halved that deficit on Sunday’s opening pair of stages.
STANDINGS AFTER RALLY SWEDEN
JUNIOR WRC
1 GBR J. ARMSTRONG 25 + 5 (1st)= 30
2 FIN L. JOONA 18 + 3 (2nd) = 21
3 FIN S. PAJARI 10 + 7 (5.th) = 17
4 IRL W. CREIGHTON 15 + 1 (3rd.) = 16
5 KEN McRae Kimathi 12 (4th.) = 12
6 EST R. VIRVES 8 (6th)= 8
WRC 2
1 NOR A. MIKKELSEN -TOKSPORT WRT 51
2 CZEE. CAIS -YACCO ACCR TEAM 18
3 NOR O. VEIBY 18
4 RAF N. GRYAZIN-TOKSPORT WRT 15
5 FIN J. HUTTUNEN 15
WRC 3
1 FIN S. PAJARI 37
2 FIN L. JOONA 25
3 CZE J. ČERNÝ 18
4 IRL W. CREIGHTON18
5 ITA E. BRAZZOLI 15
6 KEN M. KIMATHI 15
WRC OVERALL
1 FIN K. ROVANPERA 46
2 BEL T. NEUVILLE 32
3 FRA S. LOEB 27
4 GBR G. GREENSMITH 20
5 FRA S. OGIER 19
