M-Sport call for "survivable" Safari Rally route

Sport Ford principal Richard Millener has called on Safari Rally organizers to create a balance in the stages used so as to ensure close competition amongst the WRC drivers. 

Kenya signed an agreement with FIA to have the Safari run as part of the World Rally Championship (WRC) series until 2026 and the M-Sport boss says there is need to rethink the route. 

Millener said prolonged sections with the fine powder fesh-fesh were too much for the current hybrid Rally1 cars.

“I want to be clear that this has nothing to do with our results. We were beaten fair and square by Toyota, credit to them. But the level of fesh-fesh was concerning this year.

Last time we lost Kalle Rovanperä to that surface and this year two Rally2 cars ingested a load of dust and had their engines seize," Millener said in an interview with Dirt Fish.

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He argues that it takes tens of thousands of pounds just to put the car on a plane to bring it to Kenya questioning whether privateers will continue coming out to do this great rally if they know they’ve only got a slim chance of finishing. 

“We need to find a balance with the roads and some of those roads were too much. We don’t really want cars going to the powerstage separated by big gaps. We want the rally to be decided on the powerstage and that is only going to happen on more sensible roads," he added. 

Despite everything, Millener loved his maiden trip to the Safari. "The people, the atmosphere and most of the roads are just fantastic,” he said adding that the backdrops and the scenery are by far the best in the world. 

"And there is no question we need the Safari Rally, but we have to make sure it is survivable and survivable with these cars.”

There had been some calls for more Safari-specific cars with different aero and cooling options but the M-Sport principal is opposed to the suggestion arguing that the move would open the floodgates. 

“You think it’s just a bumper to allow more air in or to keep more sand out, but some of the teams will start with CFD, they’ll be building aero into it and we’re back to spending a fortune. The Safari provided some of the best and most engaging action of the season, but let’s just make it a little bit more straightforward and we can have even closer and more interesting competition," he offered. 

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M-Sport suffered at the hands of the Safari, with none of the factory cars making it through the event without retiring at some point. 

Craig Breen’s was the first Puma home in sixth place. Jourdain Serderidis was seventh, his private car having run for the whole route.

“There were positives for us in Safari. We saw Sébastien Loeb and Adrien Fourmaux were able to win stages, which demonstrates the car’s performance.”