Jasmeet targets podium place in KNRC Voi due next month

After winning the National category in the recent World Rally Championship (WRC) Safari Rally, Kenya National Rally Championship (KNRC) Group N Champion and leader Jasmeet Chana hopes to get back on the wheel and fight for a podium finish in his Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 10 in the next event.

Chana is among the drivers headed for Voi in Taita Taveta County for the next round of the KNRC scheduled for August 7 to 8.

The KCB Bank-sponsored Chana, navigated by his elder brother Ravi Chana, a KNRC celebrity in his own right, is looking to build on his his WRC display and that calls for a change in approach.

"KNRC is more of a speed event. WRC Safari Rally wasn’t a speed event. So, in KNRC one has to rely on speed from the get go whereas in the WRC you have to execute a calculated drive to make sure you are still in the race without breaking the car. We won the Group N Championship last year and we want to defend it and see what happens next season," said Jasmeet.

He, however, admits that R5 cars will have an edge over the group N's, more so on the twisty and technical stretches that dot the Voi route as they lighter and quicker but was quick to add that his car can match theirs in the straights.

"When it comes to tight sections, R5s are quicker. They also get much better grip on corners. Group N's are quicker on the straights because of the speeds. It will be a challenge but we will fight for it.”

His target is on extending his lead in the group N and achieving a podium place.

"Voi has always had amazing routes. They have a mix of everything. The rough, smooth and very technical in some places but overall they have very nice roads. Hopefully with a calculated drive, we should be able to hit our target," he added.

Jasmeet reckons that the Safari felt shorter or sounded shorter but the roads were not forgiving.

“The car went through a little bit of battering in Safari but nothing major. We are going through the car now to repair the parts that were damaged so hopefully it should be ready in a few weeks’ time.”

“We knew from the word go that safari needs to be respected, we had no major issues, whatever we are doing now is just a routine service just to ensure it's in good nick well in time. The group N we are not allowed to modify there is nothing much to modify on it. So, no modifications the only thing we are doing is changing the parts that are damaged."