Audio By Vocalize
Kenyan rally driver Ishmael Azeli help try to fix their car in last year’s Safari Rally in Naivasha. [Stafford Ondego, Standard]
Ishmael Azeli and his navigator John Ngugi are ready to go for the jugular in the third leg of the World Rally Championship (WRC), the Safari Rally that’s set for the scenic terrains of the lakeside town of Naivasha on March 12-15.
The dynamic duo is looking forward to wrestling the big boys in the WRC2 category, at the same time amassing points in the African Rally Championship and the Kenya National Rally Championship categories.
“We have acquired a new Subaru WRX NR4; it’s a better car than the Mitsubishi Evo 9 we had last season,” said Azeli, who is also a very prolific filmmaker.
“Currently, we are finalising our preparations. We are putting everything in order, like fixing the seats and other FIA requirements. I can say the vehicle is almost ready and raring to go,” Azeli added.
Asked how he feels about acquiring a new machine ahead of the global motorsport showdown, Azeli said it’s a great moment for them because the Mitsubishi Evo 9 they cruised with last year was a bit older.
“The car we have now is faster, better and more reliable. This vehicle puts us on top of the WRC2 category league since it has better features. It gives us confidence to focus on our target, which is to finish the rally, just like we did last year,” said Azeli.
Expounding on their target in this year’s Safari, Azeli says they will try to keep it clean on the roads so as to bring the car home in one piece.
“In 2024, in our debut, we were a bit ‘careless’, and this saw us blow up our engine. We went back to the drawing board and came up with strategies that helped us reach the finish line last year. We will repeat the tactics this year as we aim to lift the WRC2 category trophy.”
Azeli is among the three drivers, including Andrew Muiruri and Queen Kalimpinya of Rwanda, who have been sponsored by Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen), who have sunk a total of Sh5.1 million in this year’s WRC Safari Rally.
“It is my first time being supported by KenGen, and the sponsorship really means a lot to me. It has offloaded a bit of my financial burden because rallying is a very expensive sport. We hope to give the sponsors a run for their money by finishing in a respectable position in Naivasha,” Azeli said.
Asked how the chemistry is with his navigator, Ngugi, Azeli stated: “He is my very close friend. I’m glad to be sitting with him again this year; his pace notes are always clear, and we hope to have a very good outing in the Safari this year.”
Both Azeli and Ngugi have planned for test drives in Athi River before the Safari and they will also use the Shakedown in Naivasha to gauge the car further.