NAIROBI, Kenya, December 27, 2025 – WRC Safari Rally CEO Charles Gacheru says Nairobi has been excluded from the itinerary of next year’s event due to changes in FIA’s sporting regulations.
Gacheru says the new regulations require the event to be held over four days (Thursday to Sunday), making it impossible to include Nairobi in the schedule of activities within the limited period.
“The new regulations that came out in November require the rally to be held strictly over four days. There is also a minimum of 300km competitive stage. Due to the regulations, we thought it better to hold the rally exclusively in Naivasha because it would be difficult to have super special stage and the flagoff in Nairobi,” he said.
Since the return of the Safari Rally to the World Rally Championships (WRC) calendar in 2021, Nairobi has traditionally hosted the super special stage at Kasarani as well as the ceremonial flagoff at Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC).
For fans unable to travel to Naivasha, the two events offer them to the chance to see their beloved rally drivers, especially at Kasarani as they go machine-for-machine with each other.
Another change in this year’s itinerary is the shakedown, which will be held on Thursday morning (March 12) in Nawisa — as opposed to previous editions when it was held a day earlier, on Wednesday.
The changes notwithstanding, Gacheru reveals that next year’s edition will be one of most fan-centred in recent history.
In particular, he said the location of the shakedown allows spectators to come and witness the spectacle in their numbers.
“The distance is Nawisa is a walking distance and fans will be able to come and witness the shakedown. It is near the Nakuru-Nairobi highway and fans just need to cross the road carefully,” Gacheru said.
He further encouraged rally enthusiasts in Nairobi to try and make it to Naivasha in good time for the rally.
“To the rally fans in Lucky Summer and Dandora, who have been coming to watch the super special stage, I’d like to urge you to take a matatu or carpool and come to Naivasha. We will have a number of fan zones where you can watch and cheer the rally drivers as they pass by,” the CEO said.
Next year’s rally will begin on March 12, culminating in the awards ceremony on March 15.
