 Safari Rally Kenya 2002 preview.
Story by Andrew Frampton.
The second half of the World Rally Championship gets underway with the Kenyan based Safari Rally on July 11th, as the series enters its third continent in as many rounds. Ford drivers have been the stars of the last two events, with Carlos Sainz and Colin McRae claiming victory in Argentina and Greece respectively, as they strive to close the gap to early season pacesetters Peugeot. However, the African event offers a unique challenge to the drivers and cars with three long days on the hot and dusty, car breaking roads, making it almost impossible to predict. Aside from Peugeot and Ford, Subaru, Hyundai and Skoda have all looked strong over the loose-surface events so far this season, setting the scene for a thrilling fight.
Peugeot's lead in the manufacturer's championship currently stands at 22 points, but with Ford's recent form, they will be aiming to outscore their rivals in Kenya. The Peugeot team has only claimed one podium finish in the last two events, allowing Ford to close on their score, obtained after a series of four straight 1-2 finishes. Marcus Gronholm took second position in the last round, the Acropolis Rally in Greece, extending his lead in the driver's championship to fourteen points, a lead he is certain to maintain whatever the outcome of the Safari Rally. The Finn has been the most consistent driver this season, finishing in the top six on all but one rally, that being the Argentinean event when he was excluded from victory following a servicing irregularity.
Team-mate Richard Burns has as yet been unable to find the form that made him World Champion for Subaru last season. After a slow start to the season, the champion has taken three podium positions, and moved into fifth position in the standings. The French marque's third car is shared by Gilles Panizzi (asphalt events) and Harri Rovanpera, who tackle all the loose-surface rounds including the Safari. The young Finn is one of the up-and-coming stars of world rallying, and will be hoping to improve on his results from his last two events, where he finished fourth. Panizzi, who holds second in the championship after wins in Corsica and Catalonia, will be hoping that his rivals fail to improve as he waits for his next chance in the works machine, instead driving a privately entered 206 in Kenya. The 206 has never won the Safari, but the trio will be hoping to change that this year.
Ford's recent upturn in form has come at just the right time, and a continuation of their recent performances in Kenya will well and truly move them into title contention. The manufacturer's championship is increasingly looking like a two-horse race, with Ford now 20 points ahead of the third placed manufacturer, Subaru. The driver's championship is less well defined, but both Ford drivers are in contention, with Spaniard Carlo Sainz in second position and Colin McRae in joint third. Although Sainz's victory in Argentina may have come after the exclusion of Gronholm and Burns, McRae's win in Greece followed a superb fight with Gronholm. Both Sainz and McRae have plenty of experience on the Safari Rally, with McRae twice a victor, and Sainz also claiming a win. Markko Martin was the hero of the Acropolis Rally, with the third Ford driver holding the lead of the event until the halfway point. However, a puncture cost the Estonian several minutes, and he finished the event in sixth. Although he may not have got the result his drive deserved, it was the latest in a series of improving performances. Martin has little experience on the Safari rally, but will be hoping to put in a solid finish, and perhaps make the points. Ford have proved their reliability and robust construction on the loose-surface events so far this season, and should be in contention.
So far this season, Subaru have been unable to find the same form that saw Richard Burns take the Impreza to the championship last year - they are currently holding a distant third in the manufacturer's championship. The team has suffered a variety of mechanical problems this season, which have restricted the chances of Norwegian Petter Solberg, and former multiple champion Tommi Makinen. Solberg currently holds sixth in the championship having taken top six finishes in all but one round, including a second position in Argentina. The young Norwegian has encountered a number of problems this year, and on more than one occasion has had to fight back through the field after a disastrous first day. Solberg's good finishing record is in stark contrast to that of Makinen, who has seen the end of just two events so far this season, after a series of accidents and mechanical problems. His victory in the opening round in Monte Carlo must seem a long time ago for the Finn, who has only a third in Cyprus to add to his points score. However, Makinen has gone well on the Safari Rally before, claiming victory twice, including the honours last season.
Although they currently prop up the manufacturer's standings, Hyundai have high hopes for the Safari Rally. Their trio of drivers, Freddy Loix, Armin Schwarz and Juha Kankkunen have all performed well there in the past, and an increase in their point's total is on the cards. Although he has finished no higher than ninth, Loix has been one of the revelations of the season, taking his Accent WRC into the top three in both Sweden and the latest round in Greece, but being forced out by mechanical problems. Last season, the Belgian took fifth position here in a Mitsubishi, two places behind Schwarz, who took Skoda to its first podium position. The German has also shown a new lease of life after struggling with Skoda for much of last season, with seventh position in Cyprus his best result of the season. Kankunnen has won the Safari event three times before, and is a useful acquisition to the team's driver line-up. Although not expected to challenge for victory, a podium position is possible given a high retirement rate.
It has been a troubled year for Mitsubishi, who have gone from a championship force at this point last season, to a team struggling to stay ahead of the WRC minnows Skoda and Hyundai. The team has only scored six points so far, with Alister McRae's fifth place in Sweden and Francois Delecour's seventh position in Corsica forming the majority of their haul. The team have failed to shine this season, and in the last three gravel events, where they were hoping for a change in form, the duo has been fighting outside the top ten. Delecour's only experience on the Safari Rally was a hard-fought fourth place last year, while McRae is a Kenyan rookie. Although the Lancer has performed well in Kenya in the past, it is likely that this year's challengers will be left fighting for the minor placings.
Skoda will be hoping that the Safari Rally once again gives the chance to exploit their reliability, with the tough nature of the rally hopefully making up for their lack of speed. Last year, Armin Schwarz secured an excellent third position for the team - the only time they have made the podium in the WRC. Although Schwarz has now departed, they can call on the expertise of Kenneth Eriksson, Toni Gardemeister and Roman Kresta. Eriksson has plenty of experience on the Safari Rally, and will be an asset to his inexperienced team-mates - Gardemeister retired from his only outing in Kenya, while Kresta makes his debut here this season. The team has already proven themselves over the rough roads, with Gardemeister and Eriksson taking fifth and sixth positions respectively in Argentina. More points are a real possibility in Kenya.
Citroen continue their final year of experimentation with the Xsara WRC before their first full season in 2003. The Safari event is one of seven that the French marque is to compete this year, with the team attempting to gather useful data from the unique stages. Sebastien Loeb and Tomas Radstrom will be hoping that the Xsara is already near the pace on the rough roads having taken seventh and eighth positions respectively on the slightly less damaging roads of Greece.
Driver's Championship Standings:
1. Marcus Gronholm 37pts
2. Carlos Sainz 23pts
3. Gilles Panizzi 20pts
4. Colin McRae 20pts
5. Richard Burns 19pts
6. Petter Solberg 15pts
Manufacturer's Championship Standings:
1. Peugeot 77pts
2. Ford 55pts
3. Subaru 35pts
4. Mitsubishi 6pts
5. Skoda 5pts
6. Hyundai 4pts
2002 WRC season calendar
17/01 - 20/01 - 70E Rallye Automobile Monte Carlo
- Monte Carlo stage map by JR
- Monte Carlo preview by AF
- Monte Carlo review by AF
- Monte Carlo stage-by-stage times by JR
31/01 - 03/02 - Uddeholm Swedish Rally
- Sweden stage map by JR
- Sweden preview by AF
- Sweden review by AF
- Sweden stage-by-stage times by JR
- Audio downloads from Sweden by Ralliart
07/03 - 10/03 - Tour De Corse - Rallye De France
- Corsica stage map by JR
- Corsica preview by AF
- Corsica review by AF
- Corsica stage-by-stage times by JR
- Audio downloads from Corsica by Ralliart
21/03 - 24/03 - Rallye Catalunya - Rallye De Espaņa
- Catalunya stage map by JR
- Catalunya preview by AF
- Catalunya review by AF
- Catalunya stage-by-stage times by JR
- Audio downloads from Catalunya by Ralliart
18/04 - 21/04 - Cyprus Rally
- Cyprus stage map by JR
- Cyprus preview by AF
- Cyprus review by AF
- Cyprus stage-by-stage times by JR
16/05 - 19/05 - Rally Argentina
- Argentina stage map by JR
- Argentina preview by AF
- Argentina review by AF
- Argentina stage-by-stage times by JR
13/06 - 16/06 - Acropolis Rally
- Acropolis stage map by JR
- Acropolis preview by AF
- Acropolis review by AF
- Acropolis stage-by-stage times by JR
11/07 - 14/07 - Safari Rally Kenya
- Safari stage map by JR
- Safari preview by AF
- Safari review by AF
- Safari stage-by-stage times by JR
08/08 - 11/08 - Neste Rally Finland
- Finland stage map by JR
- Finland review by SS
- Finland stage-by-stage times by JR
22/08 - 25/08 - Int.Adac Rallye Deutschland
- Deutschland stage map by JR
- Deutschland review by AF
- Deutschland stage-by-stage times by JR
19/09 - 22/09 - Rallye Sanremo - Rallye D'Italia
- Sanremo stage map by JR
- Sanremo review by SS
- Sanremo stage-by-stage times by JR
03/10 - 06/10 - Propecia Rally Of New Zealand
- New Zealand stage map by JR
- New Zealand review by SS
- New Zealand stage-by-stage times by JR
31/10 - 03/11 - Telstra Rally Australia
14/11 - 17/11 - Network Q Rally Of Great Britain
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