Battle royale as Ogier looks to defend Safari Rally title

Next month's World Rally Championship( WRC) Safari Rally will see defending champion Sebastian Ogier fellow Frenchman Sebastien Loeb clash on Kenyan soil for the first time.

The event will revolve around Nairobi and Naivasha covering a total distance of 1226.23km. 

Shakedown returns to Ndulele Conservancy for the second year running on June 22, whereas Kasarani Super Special Stage on June 23 will see WRC crews recce in their Rally 1 hybrids.

This will be a second appearance for both as Ogier made his debut at last year’s event while Loeb is returning after two decades, having finished fifth on his debut in 2002 behind the wheel of a Citroen Xsara WRC.

Loeb is the most successful of the two speedsters with nine titles to his name while Ogier is an eight-time world champion.

The two are on partial WRC campaigns this season and thus only partaking in select events. Their Safari rivalry could not have come at a better time when the WRC has transitioned into the hybrid Rally 1 era.

“Safari is a rally I have considered in my partial championship campaign of four or five rallies this year. I really enjoyed the rally last year with the nature and the people and the welcome we got.

There is such enthusiasm for the rally. I have nothing more to say, but this is the event I am looking forward to," Ogier told DirtFish in an interview.

Loeb, on his part says he has incredible memories from 2002 when he raced in the last event before Kenya lost her WRC status.

“It was incredible. The design was completely different from the other rallies. The animals and everything; the place is amazing. You see things you never see anywhere else. It was good to be there and I think it is good for the championship to have Safari Rally Kenya," Loeb told DirtFish.

After winning the season opening home event in Monte Carlo, Loeb gave Croatia and Sweden a wide berth before crashing out of the Portugal round.

 Kenyan navigator Victor Oundi is convinced that the Safari is most likely to go to either of the Sebs. 

"My money is on Loeb for the simple reason that the current generation Ford is really awesome. Hyundai still hasn't found the mojo. Lately Neuville looks like he’s really over driving it to get results so Hyundai is not likely to be impressive. Ogier, being the defending champion is no pushover, so thrills and spills are guaranteed."