FIA President Jean Todt confirmed the deal in a tweet on Thursday in Paris. The Paris meeting was attended by the WRC Promoter managing director Oliver Ciesler, Sports Principal Secretary Ambassador Kirimi Kaberia, and CEO of the WRC Project, Phineas Kimathi, who is also the President of Kenya Motor Sports Federation.
In his tweet, Todt who officially opened the WRC Project facility at Kasarani, said: “Safari Rally becomes official WRC FIA candidate event, signing off the agreement between government of Kenya and WRC Promoter today in Paris at the Automobile & Club De France.”
Todt who participated in the Safari before heading the Ferrari Formula 1 team further stated: “I hope I will encourage the development of motorsports and road safety in Africa.”
Kaberia on behalf of the government of Kenya said: “This signing is a major milestone and a day we have looked forward to for a very longtime. Arriving at this point is a great pleasure.”
“The government is very committed to the Safari rally, and we will do everything in our power to make sure this great event is brought back to WRC,” he added.
Safari was first held in 1953 as a coronation rally for Queen Elizabeth and gained WRC status in 1973 the same year Shekhar Mehta won it. But the event lost its global status in 2003 and relegated to African Rally Championship status when Kenya failed to meet the necessary guarantees of the World Governing Body, FIA.
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