NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 9 – Veteran rally driver Piero Cannobio is praying that his native roots in Mombasa will be kinder to him as he brings his new Hyundai i20 NG for the Mombasa Motor Club Bamba Rally set for Kilifi next Saturday.
The former Mitsubishi Evolution 10 driver bowed out of the sixth round of the Kenya National Rally Championship in Nanyuki last month due to mechanical complications but is optimistic that none of those tribulations will rear their ugly heads at the Coast.
“We have experienced a few teething problems with the car, which is normal when trying to come to grips with something new. We ran the car in Nanyuki and also entered one of our clubman rallies though we never finished,” Piero said.
He added: “It’s always great to show consistency and pace, so, we shall make all the local knowledge count at home. We shall attack where possible and try to conserve the car when it’s rough.”
Piero, who began racing in Italy in the 1980s, will however be up against it, with the creme-de-la-creme of Kenyan motorsports expected to congregate in Kilifi in a battle for glory.
Among them include series leader Karan Patel, second-placed Jasmeet Chana and Raaji Singh Bharij who is returning to the series in a Minti Motorsport Skoda Fabia Rally2.
Regardless of the uphill task at hand, Piero said he is relishing the prospect of testing his i20 N Rally2 amidst the challenge posed by seasoned drivers.
“It is always a great pleasure coming home with a new car and indeed the much-needed speed. But then again, there is always that pressure to perform on home turf,” the three-time champion of Italy’s Rally Piancavallo said.
Piero, who finished eighth in the Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally in 2017, will be hoping for a second successive full season in the KNRC calendar after last year during which he was navigated by Shameer Yusuf.
Reconnaissance for the event will take place in the Bamba area on Friday while scrutineering checks will be undertaken at Kilifi Mall on the same day.
To make up a competitive run of 161.30km, three stages – Mirima Wa Ndege (26.36km), KWFT (38.00km) and Jila (16.24km) – will be repeated.
