WRC EA Safari Rally 2002 Pullcover

COMPLIMENTARY COPY











1953
1953 to to











2002
2002








50th
50th






Anniversary
Anniversary
































The Safari
The Safari


a history
a history



SAFARI HISTORY - THE WINNERS

1953 1954 1955 1956 1957
1953 1954 1955 1956 1957
D. P. Marwaha
No overall winner D. P. Marwaha D. P. Marwaha E. Cecil A. A. N. Hofmann
No overall winner
A. A. N. Hofmann
E. Cecil
D. P. Marwaha
declared N. R. R. Preston N. R. R. Preston A. P-Vickers A. A. N. Burton
A. A. N. Burton
declared
N. R. R. Preston
N. R. R. Preston
A. P-Vickers
(DKW)
(Ford Zephyr)
(Volkswagen) (Ford Zephyr) (DKW) (Volkswagen)
(Volkswagen)
(Volkswagen)
I n the beginning... favourable. The East African
Standard newspaper donated
In 1950 the Royal East African
Automobile Association took a
those days for an unproven
significant step with the establishment of £500—a considerable sum in
concept—and became the
a Competitions Committee. The motor
event’s first sponsor. Other
sporting emphasis at the time was on
sponsors who came on board
trials, sprints, hill-climbs and motorcycle
in those early days included
events, in addition to racing on a dirt
Shell, East African Airways,
circuit at Nairobi, but long-distance
Hughes Ltd and Motor Mart
reliability trials were also part of the brief 1953 The Coronation of
& Exchange. However, the route around
of the Competitions Committee. However, Queen Elizabeth II
Lake Victoria proved unworkable because
their limited resources were heavily
of unreliable bridges and ferry crossings.
committed at the time to the development
Three Days, Three Countries
of a new motor racing circuit at Langa
Langa, near Gilgil, and long distance So the committee settled on a multi-start
events were not a high priority. event from Nairobi, Morogoro and
Kampala, visiting all three East African ‘Slam the door
It was the death of King George VI and territories, with everyone finishing in and the first man
the subsequent Coronation of Queen Nairobi. The dates for the three-day event home is the
Elizabeth II that—indirectly—brought were set for May 30 to June 1, 1953, to winner.’ And all
about a change of priorities. Kenya, coincide with the Coronation celebrations. this for an entry
Uganda and Tanganyika were all under The rules for the first Coronation Safari fee of only 100/-!
British control and a proposal was put to were short and to the point. All the cars
the REAAA’s Management Committee for had to be in standard, showroom
a long-distance reliability trial to be run condition with no special preparation.
throughout the three territories as a tribute ‘Nothing save tuning, driving skill and the
to the new Queen and called the stamina of man and vehicle will count, for
‘Coronation Safari’ An alternative nothing to boost performance may be
plan—to hold a road race around the added to competing vehicles,’
streets of Nairobi—was also put forward, the regulations stated.
but it was no match for the ‘ safari’idea, Entries were divided into
which won the day. four classes, based on
The Competitions Committee initially showroom price rather than
considered a proposal for an event, by horse-power or engine
starting from Nairobi and running right size. Each class had its own
round Lake Victoria through Uganda and target time for completion of
Tanganyika. It would not be a race in the the route and no overall
strict sense, but a high-speed test of winner would be declared.
reliability, speed and roadworthiness of No rest periods were
cars such as any motorist could buy. planned for the first Safari, competitors 1955 Winners Marwaha and
Preston in a Ford Zephyr
Reaction from the motor trade was being expected to snatch what rest they
1



SAFARI HISTORY - THE WINNERS

1958 1959 1960 1961 1962
1958 1959 1960 1961 1962
No overall winner
T.T. Fjastad
No overall winner W.A. Fritschy W.A. Fritschy C.J. Manussis T.T. Fjastad
C.J. Manussis
W.A. Fritschy
W.A. Fritschy
V. Schmider
W. Coleridge
J.L. Ellis
declared J.L. Ellis J.L. Ellis W. Coleridge V. Schmider
declared
J.L. Ellis
D.A. Beckett
(Volksvagen)
(Mercedes 219)
(Mercedes 219) (Mercedes 219) D.A. Beckett (Volksvagen)
(Mercedes 219)
(Mercedes 220SE)
(Mercedes 220SE)
could along the route. No organised winner and met—just
service was allowed but crews could carry two weeks after the
a limited number of spares and undertake 1953 event—to
any work themselves. This led to some appoint a Coronation
tremendous feats of ‘bush engineering’ at Safari subcommittee.
the roadside. Regulations were
Miles And Miles Of Bundu much the same as
The total distance—according to the start before, except that
point chosen—was between 1,808 and three short rest
1,966 miles and, apart from in a few of periods were included
the town centres, tarmac was nonexistent. in the schedule and it
The entry fee for this historic event was was decided to present 1957 Route survey by C B P
Fitzgerald General
just one hundred shillings. a trophy to the overall winner. The mass
Secretary REAAA, J E
Fifty-six cars started, most from start was out, too, with cars being Turner and E C Field Clerk
Nairobi. There was no ramp; the start was despatched at two-minute intervals. of the Course
more like a race than a rally. The cars The local motor trade appreciated the
lined up with the most powerful at the publicity value of the Coronation Safari It was agreeed
front and drove to the outskirts of the city and it was also causing some car that the profit of
in a procession behind the Mayor’s car. manufacturers to take notice. Vic Preston 700/- shown on the
The Mayor dropped the flag and quickly and D P Marwaha won the 1954 Safari 1954 Safari should
moved out of the way as the 42 Nairobi with a clean sheet on the road, and results be ploughed back
starters surged forward en masse. had to be settled by an acceleration and into the 1955
The Coronation Safari immediately braking test. In fact, all six VWs finished event!
captured the public’s imagination and with clean sheets and, not surprisingly,
established a reputation as a very tough won the team prize. In
event. Only 16 made it to the finish within the early years of the
the time allowed. Safari the team prize
It’s Taking Part That Matters was almost as
Some have named the first ‘winner’ as prestigious as outright
Alan Dix and Johnny Larsen, in a victory.
Volkswagen. This car lost the fewest Nineteen-fifty-five
points—170—but since each class had a saw Preston and
different time schedule to follow it is Marwaha make it
impossible to make comparisons. John two-in-a-row, this
Manussis and Johnny Boyes in a time in a Ford Zephyr.
Chevrolet put up the fastest time overall The route had a single
but had more penalties. However, only starting point
1957 A trio of tough cars,
class positions were declared so the first (Nairobi) although it continued to visit all from left to right: W.
Safari remains without an overall winner. three territories. Mileage was increased to Cardwell/N. Thomas, P.
Townsend/D. Shepherd and
The REAAA Competitions Committee 2,500. A.A. Hofman/A. Burton
quickly realised that they were on to a For the fourth Coronation Safari, in
3

SAFARI HISTORY - THE WINNERS

1963 1964 1965 1966 1967
1963 1964 1965 1966 1967
Z. Nowicki P.J.C. Hughes Joginder Singh R. Shankland R. Shankland
Z. Nowicki
R. Shankland
R. Shankland
P.J.C. Hughes
Joginder Singh
P.B. Cliff
C. Rothwell
W.W.G. Young
Jaswant Singh
P.B. Cliff W.W.G. Young Jaswant Singh C. Rothwell C. Rothwell
C. Rothwell
Peugeot 404 Inj
Peugeot 404 Inj
Ford Cortina G.T.
Peugeot 404
Peugeot 404 Ford Cortina G.T. Volvo PV 544 Peugeot 404 Inj Peugeot 404 Inj
Volvo PV 544
1956, advertising on cars prevent parts being changed en route,
was permitted to allow contrary to the rules at that time.
entrants to recoup some The REAAA did not actively seek
of their costs. In this international status for the event.
respect, East Africa was Nevertheless, when the Paris-based FIA
many years ahead of (Federation Internationale de
Europe. But 1956 was a l’Automobile) issued its 1957
non-vintage year, chiefly international motor sport calendar the
because dry weather, Coronation Safari was included, with the
coupled with attainable date moved forward from the end of May
1958 Simca Aronde U43 target average speeds, resulted in a to the Easter weekend.
‘lapping’ at Nakuru
relatively easy event. Thirteen cars Dropped Right In It
finished without road penalties and the The new date—chosen to avoid a clash
result depended on a with other European events—meant that
speed test round the new the rally was likely to encounter East
Nakuru racing circuit, Africa’s heaviest rainfall of the year.
coupled with a Unwittingly the FIA had pushed the Safari
mathematical formula to in a direction that would soon earn it the
compensate for engine reputation of ‘the world’s toughest rally’.
size. The two-stroke The organisers toughened up the event,
DKW of Eric Cecil and increasing the distance to 3,000 miles
Tony Vickers was second (5,000 km). That year the rains came with
quickest and, after the full force; many cars were stranded in the
formula had been mud and some bridges were washed away,
1959 J J Feeney and
R C G Fisher applied, emerged the winner. but competitors refused to be beaten.
Ninety cars started that 1956 event and Halfway through the second leg, about
78 finished, which 60 miles from Suam Bridge (near the
remains the greatest Uganda/Kenya border), a lorry had
number of finishers in the broken down at the foot of a steep and
rally’s history. For Cecil, muddy hill.
it was a reward for his The first few cars managed to scrabble
hard work as one of the up the hill but the muddy surface quickly
instigators of the Safari. became impossible to climb. Drivers
He went on to become realised that the only solution was to band
Chairman of the event for together as ‘pushing gangs’ to help each
a number of years. other up the hill. Once at the top, some
Some competitors (and then returned on foot to help their fellow
1960 The starter George motor dealers) were, by competitors but others, unsportingly,
Arkell, (wearing glasses) now, taking the Coronation Safari very
and the ‘traffic lights’ used pressed on. The hill entered Safari
to send off competitors seriously and the organisers introduced folklore and it is still a talking point
the sealing of certain components to amongst Safari veterans.
4

SAFARI HISTORY - THE WINNERS

1968 1969 1970 1971 1972
1968 1969 1970 1971 1972
E. Herrmann
E. Herrmann
H. Mikkola
Z. Nowicki
Z. Nowicki R. Hillyar E. Herrmann E. Herrmann H. Mikkola
R. Hillyar
P.B. Cliff J. Aird H. Schuller H. Schuller G. Palm
P.B. Cliff
H. Schuller
G. Palm
J. Aird
H. Schuller
Datsun 240Z
Datsun 1600SSS
Ford Escort RS 1600
Ford Taunus 20M
Peugeot 404 Inj
Peugeot 404 Inj Ford Taunus 20M Datsun 1600SSS Datsun 240Z Ford Escort RS 1600
Mud Beetles organisers, of a helicopter to 1961 C J Manussis in his
Volkswagens revelled in the muddy check the notorious Mbulu Mercedes 220E with D A
conditions in 1957, with victory going to section in Tanganyika. Beckett on rear with W
Coleridge, his co-driver at
‘Gust’ Hofmann and Arthur Burton. In all, The Safari now entered what nearside
19 cars finished in a controversial year. has often been referred to as its
For the sixth Coronation Safari, in 1958, ‘golden age’. Running of the
regulations at last permitted crews to carry event had reached a high
any spares they wished but the sealing of standard, and it was attracting
components remained, with heavy an increasing number of
penalties for broken seals. The event overseas drivers, some with
proved to be dry, and 54 of the 95 starters direct participation from
finished. For the second, and last time in manufacturers (instead of just
its history, no overall winners were local distributor support).
declared—just three class winners. In 1959, the organisers
The 1958 event had attracted a small introduced the marking of
number of overseas competitors and components with a specially-
Stanley Schofield, a London-based film formulated, mildly
producer, also shot what was probably the radioactive, paint, believed to
first professional record of a Safari. be another Safari ‘first’.
Another ‘first’ in 1958 was the use, by the Locally-entered Mercedes-



1964 Winners P J C Hughes and
W W G Young in their Ford
Cortina GT































5

SAFARI HISTORY - THE WINNERS

1973 1974 1975 1976 1977
1973 1974 1975 1976 1977
S. Mehta Joginder Singh O. Andersson Joginder Singh B. Waldegaard
Joginder Singh
S. Mehta
B. Waldegaard
Joginder Singh
O. Andersson
D. Doig
L. Drews
A. Hertz
H. Thorszelius
D. Doig
L. Drews D. Doig A. Hertz D. Doig H. Thorszelius
Mitsubishi Lancer
Peugeot 504
Ford Escort RS 1800
Colt Lancer
Datsun 240Z Mitsubishi Lancer Peugeot 504 Colt Lancer Ford Escort RS 1800
Datsun 240Z
Benz cars enjoyed a hat-trick of wins 33—and included real ‘superstars’ in the
from 1959 to 1961. Bill Fritschy and Jack shape of Erik Carlsson and Pat Moss.
Ellis won for the first two years, whilst Despite the increased speed of the rally a
the colourful John Manussis finally VW ‘beetle’ achieved yet another win in
achieved his ambition in 1961. the hands of a local coffee farmer, Tommy
Overseas drivers were beginning Fjastad. One hundred and four cars
to make their presence felt a n J d a s started the Safari—a new
1963 Winners Z Nowicki but a win proved more i n d e r record—and 46 finished.
and P B Cliff on the elusive than many J o g Mobile servicing
Namanga Road r s
was officially
had imagined. n e want Singh on top of their Volvo
n
Stories of a W i allowed for the
Safari ‘jinx’ 6 5 first time in 1963
began to 9 although it was
1
grow, but the expected to be
truth was "in the spirit of this
probably more to sporting event". A
1968 Winners Nick do with the good international
Nowicki and Paddy Cliff visitors’ entry was received
inexperience of local including, for the first
conditions. time, cars from Nissan. At
In 1960, the event’s name was the time, few realised what a major
changed from ‘Coronation Safari’ to ‘East impact the Japanese manufacturer would
African Safari’ and classes were based on have in future years.
engine capacity, rather than showroom In 1963 the Safari’s reputation as the
price. world’s toughest rally received another
1970 Bill Parkinson and Vic Invasion From The North boost. The heavens opened and parts of
Preston in a Ford Taunus By 1962 the trickle of overseas entries the route were in danger of being washed
had grown into a flood—no less than away. Erik Carlsson’s front-wheel-drive

















1975 Ove Andersson and Arne Hertz in
their Peugeot 504


1964 Erik Carlsson nicknamed
‘Carlsson on the roof ’ in his
6
Saab.

SAFARI HISTORY - THE WINNERS

1978 1979 1980 1981 1982
1978 1979 1980 1981 1982
S. Mehta
S. Mehta
J.P. Nicholas S. Mehta S. Mehta S. Mehta S. Mehta
J.P. Nicholas
S. Mehta
S. Mehta
M. Doughty
M. Doughty
M. Doughty
M. Doughty
J. Lefebvre
J. Lefebvre M. Doughty M. Doughty M. Doughty M. Doughty
Datsun 160J
Datsun Violet GT
Datsun 160J
Datsun 160J
Peugeot 504 Coupe Datsun 160J Datsun 160J Datsun 160J Datsun Violet GT
Peugeot 504 Coupe
Saab revelled in the conditions and
opened up a huge lead, only to lose it in a Chairmen of the Organising
Committee
collision with an animal. Col L F Manton 1953 to 1956
Lucky For Some E C Field 1957 to 1959
Just seven cars completed the rally—the N S Stevens 1960 to 1961
Eric Cecil 1962 to 1973
fewest number of finishers to date. First Bharat Bhardwaj 1974 to 1978 Eric Ce l i c
place went to the Peugeot 404 of Nick
Nowicki and Paddy Cliff who drove a Chairmen Safari Rally Ltd
typically ‘canny’ rally. The ‘magnificent Bharat Bhardwaj 1979 to 1982
seven’ finishers were feted as heroes and Bill Parkinson 1983 to 1984
Nick Ng’ang’a 1985 to 1993 j
the international press made much of the George Mwai 1994 to 1995 Bharat Bh r a d w a
occasion. Here was a motor rally where Peter Hughes 1996 to 1997
Isaiah Kiplagat 1998 to 2000
just to finish was an achievement in
David Ndambo 2001
itself—but was the event becoming too
tough for its own good? through the water and mud in their
The answer came the following year. Peugeot 404 to head home just nine Bill Pa in n
rk s o
Far from deterring participants, the 1964 finishers. They repeated the performance
East African Safari attracted 94 starters, in 1967, a much drier year in which 49
including a large contingent of ‘works’ crews finished.
cars and overseas drivers. Much President Kenyatta flagged off starters
excitement was caused by the entry from for the first time in 1968 and it turned out
Nick N ’a n g ’ a
the USA of nine Lincoln Mercury to be another wet and muddy event. For g
Comets, the largest and heaviest cars yet the second time in six years just seven
seen in the Safari. crews finished and, once again, it was the
Sunk In The Mud consistent Nick Nowicki who emerged
Peter Hughes, who had previously from the mud to win the event.
achieved several class wins, took outright By now the Safari was becoming Georg M w a i
e
victory in a Ford Cortina GT ahead of the increasingly embroiled in East African
hard-charging Carlsson. The heavy politics. Although the route had always
Comets had a torrid time in the mire at the visited all three East African countries,
back of the field and only two finished. every Safari since 1955 had started and
Nineteen-sixty-five was another finished in Nairobi. The organisers came
Peter Hu g h e s
milestone when Joginder and Jaswant under increasing pressure from Uganda
Singh privately prepared and entered an and Tanzania to rotate the Safari’s start
ex-works Volvo. A storming drive saw and finish to include Kampala and Dar es
them win by a record margin of 100 Salaam.
minutes in a fairytale victory against In 1969 the Tanzanian government
strong ‘works’ opposition which added decided that Kenya was hogging too much Isaiah p a l g a t
Ki
still further to the Safari’s mystique. of what was billed as an East African
In 1966 Tanzanian residents, Bert event, and closed its borders to the rally.
Shankland and Chris Rothwell, splashed Some classic Safari sections such as
7


a m b o
David Nd

SAFARI HISTORY - THE WINNERS

1983 1984 1985 1986 1987
1983 1984 1985 1986 1987
H. Mikkola
B. Waldegaard
J. Kankkunen
A. Vatanen
A. Vatanen B. Waldegaard J. Kankkunen B. Waldegaard H. Mikkola
B. Waldegaard
T. Harryman
T. Harryman H. Thorszelius F. Gallagher F. Gallagher A. Hertz
F. Gallagher
F. Gallagher
H. Thorszelius
A. Hertz
Audi 200 Quattro
Toyota Celica TC Turbo
Opel Ascona 400
Toyota Celica TC Turbo
Opel Ascona 400 Toyota Celica TC Turbo Toyota Celica TC Turbo Toyota Celica TC Turbo Audi 200 Quattro
Toyota Celica TC Turbo
Mbulu and the Usambaras were lost to the Safari victory in a 1600SSS. Schuller,
In the 1958 event
event but extra mileage was added to the from Germany, could claim to be the first
classification was
route in Kenya and western Uganda. overseas winner of the Safari but missed
by price and class,
Kampala was made the official halfway out since he was nominated as the second
quaint names were
rest point. driver.
used, such as:
Without the traditional wet areas of Having received a promise of a Dar es
Impala Class (up to
Tanzania the 1969 Safari turned out to be Salaam start and finish for 1972, Tanzania
SH13,000), Leopard
a dry event. Robin Hillyar and Jock Aird returned to the fold in 1971 but the
Class (SH13,000-
17,000) took their Taunus to victory to maintain organisers were reluctant to lose the
and Lion Class the pattern of all-local winners in the excellent ‘new’ route in western Uganda,
(SH17,000 and over). Safari. which resulted in a total mileage of
On The World Stage 4,000—the longest ever in the history of
1964 - Kenya was The Safari had been on the international the Safari. Speeds were set ever higher
now a fully calendar since 1957 but from 1970 it was and the cars began to look more like
independent nation included in the official ‘International racers than the family saloons on which
and at driver’s Rally Championship for Makes’, the Safari was established. Herrmann and
briefing the instituted that year. This was a great Schuller made it two wins on the trot, this
accolade and ensured that the top works time in a Datsun 240Z. Just three minutes
Minister for
teams and drivers could hardly afford to behind came a young Ugandan driver,
Information Mr.
miss the event. It also meant that high Shekhar Mehta, who would rewrite the
Achieng Oneko
performance cars were now eligible and record books a few years later.
made a speech in
was the beginning of the end for the Conquered At Last
which he assured all
‘standard car’ image of the Safari. In 1972—in the 20th East African Safari
concerned that the
Tanzania continued to bar the Safari Rally—Hannu Mikkola and Gunnar Palm
Kenyan
from its territory in 1970 and the became the first all-overseas crew to win,
Government was organisers—perhaps in a bid to stop at the wheel of a Ford Escort RS1600.
solidly behind the Uganda going the same way—agreed to Ford celebrated in a manner that could
Safari. Indeed, in start and finish that year’s event in hardly have been exceeded if they had put
the ensuing years Kampala, with two breaks in Nairobi. a man on the moon, such was the prestige
the Safari Malindi hotelier, Edgar Herrmann, and to be gained from the first ‘overseas win’.
continued to go Hans Schuller gave Datsun their first In 1973 the ‘World Championship for
from strength to Rallies’ replaced the ‘International Rally
strength 1972 Winner Championship for Makes’ and the Safari
Hannu Mikkola in retained its place as one of the qualifying
a Ford Escort
rounds. The 1973 Safari was run in Kenya
and Tanzania only—Uganda being
excluded for the first time because of the
political situation in that country—but it
was a Ugandan, Shekhar Mehta, who won
the event in a Datsun 240Z. It was a
close-run thing, though, for he dead-
8

SAFARI HISTORY - THE WINNERS

1988 1989 1990 1991 1992
1988 1989 1990 1991 1992
B. Waldegaard
C. Sainz
J. Kankkunen
M. Biasion
M. Biasion M. Biasion B. Waldegaard J. Kankkunen C. Sainz
M. Biasion
T. Siviero
F. Gallagher
J. Piironen
T. Siviero
L. Moya
T. Siviero T. Siviero F. Gallagher J. Piironen L. Moya
Toyota Celica GT4
Lancia Delta Integrale
Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD
Lancia Delta Integrale
Lancia Delta Integrale Lancia Delta Integrale Toyota Celica GT4 Lancia Delta Integrale Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD
Lancia Delta Integrale
heated with his team mate, Harry local hero Joginder Singh, with David
Kallstrom, and the result had to be Doig, scored a popular win in a In 1958 the cost of
entering the Safari
decided on a count-back system. Third Mitsubishi Lancer. Controversy raged,
was beginning to
and fourth places also went to h e r w however, over a monumental
overseas drivers. t o g e t ‘bog-up’ on Mount Kenya cause concern; how
Three Days, One w h o in the early hours of much does it cost
Country t y - the rally that an owner-entrant to
In 1974 the bold u g h eliminated dozens take part in the
move was taken D o of cars. event? An East

to run the event k e Ove Anderson African Standard
solely in Kenya M i on the Safari four times in a row 1979, ‘80, ‘81 and ‘82 and Arne Hertz reporter attempted
d
to make it n won in a to assess the cost
a
easier to a Peugeot 504 in for an average
t
maintain the high h e 1975, overseas entrant concluded
M
standard of r drivers taking the that no private
a
organisation h k first four places, but competitor could
required of a world e h S Joginder Singh expect to take part
championship event. The (Lancer) bounced back to for less than
result was a more compact route, as win again in 1976 to become the first SH8,640. He took
competitive and demanding as ever, yet driver to achieve three Safari victories.
the case of a driver
easier for the service crews. Pressure from Nineteen-seventy-seven reverted to
who entered a 1957
the visiting drivers was again strong but being another overseas-dominated rally
VW. The car cost
SH10,000 and the
1977 Bjorn Waldegaard depreciation cannot
in a Ford Escort
be reckoned at less
than 50%. Debit:
SH5,000. The
entrance fee is
SH400; insurance
of the car SH440;
personal insurance
SH100; and maps
and board SH60.
Total debit up to
SH6,000









9

SAFARI HISTORY - THE WINNERS

1993 1994 1995 1996 1997
1993 1994 1995 1996 1997
A. A. N. Hofmann
Y. Fujimoto
T. Makinen
I. Duncan
J. Kankkunen
J. Kankkunen I. Duncan Y. Fujimoto T. Makinen A. A. N. Hofmann
J. Piironen
A. A. N. Burton
J. Piironen D. Williamson A. Hertz S. Harjanne A. A. N. Burton
A. Hertz
S. Harjanne
D. Williamson
Mitsubishi Lancer
Toyota Celica
Toyota Celica
(Volkswagen)
Toyota Celica
Toyota Celica Toyota Celica Toyota Celica Mitsubishi Lancer (Volkswagen)
with Bjorn Waldegaard winning in a Ford works teams. No other driver had won
Coup des Dames Escort. The Swede had already shown a five Safaris, and it is unlikely that anyone
Winners liking for the Safari, with a second and else ever will.
third place in the previous three years. Opel achieved their first (and only) win
1955 Mary Wright/Junita
Burton (Ford Zephyr) Money, Money, More Money in 1983, with a carefully-judged drive by
1956 Mary Wright/Junita With the ever-increasing cost of imported Ari Vatanen, but then followed the start of
Burton/J. Reuter (Ford
Zephyr) motor vehicles and controls on foreign a successful period for Toyota with wins
1958 Mary Wright/June exchange it had become h e by Waldegaard (1984), Kankkunen
Wright/Junita Burton (Ford difficult for local o m e s t (1985) and Waldegaard again
Zephyr Mk.II) b e c
1961 Anne Hall/Lucille competitors to e n in 1986. Remarkably,
Cardwell (Ford Zephyr) obtain suitable u n Kankkunen’s victory
1962 Pat Moss/Ann Riley k k
(Saab 96) rally cars. a n was achieved at his
1964 Lucille Cardwell/Jill Lead Entries had K first driver ever to win at first attempt first attempt, the first
(Mercedes-Benz 220 SEb) dwindled to h a driver ever to do so.
1965 Lucette Pointet/ u
Francoise Houillon (Citroen the low J 5 Hannu Mikkola
DS10) sixties and 8 gained his second
1968 Lucille Cardwell/Gerry 9 1 win—and Audi’s
Davies (Datsun 2000 Cedric) the very
1972 Ann Taieth/Sylvia King future of the first—in 1987, all of
(Datsun 1600SSS) Safari as a world- 15 years after his
1974 Rosemary Smith/Pauline
Gullick (Datsun 1800SSS) class rally was sensational 1972 victory, but
1983 Michele Mouton/Fabrizia threatened. The Kenya then it was Lancia’s turn. Miki
Pons (Audi Quattro) government responded in Biasion won in 1988 and 1989 before
1991 Lynda Hughes/Vanessa
Evans (Daihatsu Charade 1.3i) 1978 by waiving import duty and sales tax Bjorn Waldegaard showed his class yet
2000 Meschell van Tongren/ on vehicles imported specifically for the again to take his fourth outright win in
Safina Hussein (Subaru
Impreza) Safari, showing how highly it valued the 1990, and his third in a Toyota, in some of
2001 Meschell van Tongren/ rally. the worst weather for years.
Safina Khan (Subaru Impreza)
The Frenchman, Jean-Pierre Nicolas, At FIA’s insistence and for the first
won the 1978 event in a Peugeot 504 time, the 1991 rally was spread over six
coupe, but further wins by overseas days, with increased rest periods and less
t
a g
n
i
K

drivers were thwarted for the next
night driving. This certainly helped the
a
d S y l v i four years by the most private entrants and drivers of small cars
a n successful Safari driver who had tended to find themselves many
h
t ever—Shekhar Mehta. hours off the pace of the works cars. FIA
e
i the finish with their Datsun 1600SSS
a After his 1973 victory also insisted that the rally should no
T

n Shekhar had not had longer necessarily take place over the
n
A much luck, but that Easter weekend, but should slot into a

2
7 changed in 1979 with a convenient place in the rally calendar.
9
win in a Datsun 160J, a Fast Fin First
1
performance he was to Juha Kankkunen drove his Lancia
repeat in 1980, 1981 and 1982, virtually flat out for much of the
despite strong opposition from other event—usually a recipe for disaster—but
10

SAFARI HISTORY - THE WINNERS

1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
C. McRae
R. Burns
T. Makinen
R. Burns C. McRae R. Burns T. Makinen ? ?
R. Burns
N. Grist
R. Reid
R. Reid
R. Reid N. Grist R. Reid R. Mannisenmaki
R. Mannisenmaki
Mitsubishi Carisma
Mitsubishi Carisma Ford Focus WRC Subaru Impreza Mitsubishi Lancer
Ford Focus WRC
Subaru Impreza
Mitsubishi Lancer
it paid off to bring him his second win In 1968 Safari was
and Lancia’s third. This emphasised that greatly honoured
the works rally cars were becoming ever
by being the first
stronger and more reliable, although by international
now massive service support for the motor sport event
major works teams was supplemented by
helicopter-borne mechanics. to be flagged away
by a head of state.
In 1992, Carlos Sainz (Toyota), pulled
Mzee Jomo
off the victory he had threatened in 1991,
Kenyatta, first
leading the 4,388km event virtually from
President of the
start to finish. By now four-wheel-drive
and turbocharged engines were the norm Republic of Kenya,
for the works cars. Privateers could only stepped onto the
hope to be ‘also-rans’, and the only starting ramp,
chance of real success for local drivers made a thorough
was to obtain a drive in a works car—but inspection of Car
these were increasingly hard to come by No. 1, and sent the
when the best professional drivers tended car away with a
to be contracted for a full season’s wave of the
rallying. familiar fly-whisk.
Toyota won again the following year,
this time to give Juha Kankkunen his
2000 Winner Richard Burns and Robert Reid
third Safari victory, but the route was
shrinking, being down to 3,718 km over
three days and totalled less than 3,000
five days. Local driver Ian Duncan took
km—a format which has now become the
third place in a works Toyota.
norm. The Japanese rising star, Yoshio
Duncan came up trumps in 1994 with an
Fujimoto, won for Toyota.
outright victory in a Toyota Celica—the
The Safari was back to a ‘proper’ world
first local driver to win since Mehta in
championship event in 1996 and saw
1982, a superb achievement since he had
Mitsubishi victorious for the first time In 1971 Peter
been regarded as the outsider in Toyota’s
Shiyukah and
four-car works team. Now the event had
David Ndambo
shrunk again, to four days, again at FIA’s
insistence, since shorter, more compact became the first
rallies had become the order of the day for Kenyan Africans to
WRC events. finish the Safari,
Nineteen-ninety-five was something of a seen here
non-vintage year since the Safari only celebrating with
qualified for the World 2-litre Kalsi their team
championship and none of the European manager.
F2 teams entered. The event was run over
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since Joginder Singh’s win in victory (his second) driving a
1976. This time it was a new Mitsubishi, having led the
star—Tommi event almost from the start.
Makinen—who took the Plus ça change…
laurels. He was only the The 2001 Safari was
second driver, after certainly a far cry from the
Kankkunen in 1985, to win first Coronation Safari of
the Safari at his first attempt. 1953, and in many ways it
The following year, 1997, was a very different event.
saw still more ‘firsts’. And yet some things had
Subaru took their first 2000 Winners Richard Burns and Robert Reid changed hardly at all. Both
outright victory after events were held over three
contesting the Safari for many years. days, with a total distance of around
Remarkably, the winning driver, Colin 3,000 km. Speeds were vastly
McRae, was the first British driver to different of course, but both were
win the Safari, other than those gruelling open road events, against
resident in East Africa. The event was the clock, which tested cars and their
also the first time the Safari had crews to the full.
exclusively used the Service Park The Safari has come a long way in
system. Veterans hailed this as a return 50 years and some lament the passing
to the true Safari spirit—the struggle of the ‘classic’ event of years gone by.
to bring damaged cars to the finish But change was inevitable,
with no organised service allowed ‘on particularly after its inclusion in the
the road’. World Rally Championship. Despite
Another British driver, Richard everything, the Safari remains a
Burns, who had finished second in fiercely demanding test and is still,
1997, took first place in a Mitsubishi in without question, the toughest event
1998, but Colin McRae was back in in the World Rally Championship,
front in a Ford Focus in 1999. Ford and very different in character from
were highly delighted, too, this being most other rounds. Some works
their first Safari win since 1977. teams may complain about the
It was Burns’ turn to win again in difficulties of competing in a ‘one-
2000, driving a Subaru, making it four off’ event, but it is still the one
wins in a row for British drivers. which everyone wants to win
Last year’s 49th Safari Rally saw and—as some old hands
Tommi Makinen take a dominant 2001 Winners Tommi Makinen maintain—"The only real rally left."
and Risto Mannisenmaki
Published by Space Sellers Ltd., P.O. Box 47186 Nairobi, Kenya
Editorial - Roger Barnard, Photos - The Standard Newspapers, Ann Taieth, Design and Layout - Ann Taieth,
Quotations - History of the Safari by Vivien Mitchell
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronical,
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©
do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher or editors. 2002
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