Less than 5.5-kms Loldia test served as a proper shakedown ahead of Safari Rally Kenya, round three of the 2024 World Rally Championship. Kajetan Kajetanowicz and Maciej Szczepaniak, starting their campaign with this event, presented the new car livery in style, setting fastest time in the WRC2 Challenger category.
Shakedown is just an appetiser of what’s going to happen over the course of next few days. An extremely tough and unpredictable WRC round is a matter of survival, with right strategy and cool head starring in leading roles. You have to remain calm for almost 370 competitive kilometres of rough special stages in Kenya.
– Safari Rally Kenya is about to start, we have checked everything and our car works properly – however, main job is still ahead. This is the longest rally in the WRC calendar so far, very unpredictable. The stages are extremely tough, with plenty of animals, holes and huge stones, many more than in past seasons. All these things make me love and hate this rally at the same time. I think that my ambition might become my toughest rival here. I am fighting with myself – knowing that I can go faster in some places but I should watch my pace and finish the rally. It is important to drive slower than in Europe and this is still a challenge for me. I have completed two editions of Safari Rally but this ambition knocks on my head and I have to deal with it. I am feeling positive, the whole ORLEN Rally Team and our car work well. However, as I said, everything is still ahead
– Kajetan Kajetanowicz, reigning WRC2 Challenger champion, says after the shakedown.
The rally begins on Thursday, 28 March, with SS Kasarani (4.84 kms, starts at 12:05 CET). There are two loops of three stages on Friday, including Kedong – the longest test of the whole event (31.5 kms). Another three stages are planned for Saturday and Sunday, each of them also run twice. The competition comes to an end on Sunday, with Hell’s Gate Power Stage.
Starts of Kajetan Kajetanowicz are supported by the title partner of the ORLEN Rally Team – ORLEN S.A., as well as technical partner Delphi, Pirelli, ORLEN OIL, ATC CARGO S.A. and SJS S.A.
Safari Rally Kenya 2024, unofficial shakedown results (WRC2 Challenger):
- Kajetanowicz/Szczepaniak (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2) 3:49.8
- Domínguez/Peñate (Citroën C3 Rally2) +8.6
- Ciamin/Roche (Hyundai i20 N Rally2) +15.1
- Patel/Khan (Škoda Fabia R5) +16.7
- Munster/Dumont (Hyundai i20 N Rally2) +17.0
- Chwist/Heller (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2) +20.1
- Tundo/Jessop (Ford Fiesta R5) +23.5
- Díaz-Aboitiz/Sanjuan (Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo) +40.7
- Singh/Khan (Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo) +42.4
- Vassilakis/Krawszik (Ford Fiesta Rally2) +45.0
