Patel fires Safari warning after Stoni Athi shakedown

Karan Patel/ EZEKIEL AMING'A 

After putting his Skoda Fabia R5 through a rigorous shakedown at Stoni Athi in Athi River, two-time African rally champion Karan Patel is bullish about mounting a fierce charge in the WRC2 category at the WRC Safari Rally scheduled for March 12–15 in Naivasha.

Patel, navigated by his long-time co-driver Tauseef Khan, will line up in the highly competitive WRC2 class, which has attracted some of the world's top drivers. ‎The Stoni Athi test, he explained, was a crucial dress rehearsal ahead of one of the toughest rallies on the calendar.

‎“Testing at Stoni Athi allowed us to fine-tune the suspension, braking points, and overall balance of the car for rough conditions,” Patel said.

‎“The Skoda has been a good car; it’s a strong and well-built machine. It’s an outdated machine, but it’s still very competitive,” he added.

Patel further highlighted that they have not changed much in the Skoda Fabia. ‎“This is the same car, body and engine, we used when we won in Tanzania last year, so nothing will change, and we hope to achieve our targets.”

‎At the Mkwawa Rally in Tanzania, the final round of the African Rally Championship (ARC), Patel clocked a cumulative time of 1:45:20.4 to edge compatriot Samman Vohra (1:45:20.4) and Tanzania’s Ahmed Huwel (1:49:51.9) in a dramatic finish.

‎The result saw Patel seal fourth place in the overall ARC standings with 70 points, trailing Uganda’s Yasin Nasser (135 points), Vohra (134 points) and Nikhil Sachania (77 points). ‎With the Safari looming large, Patel is determined to convert experience into silverware on home soil.

‎“We hope we have what it takes to bring it to the top position amongst our fellow Kenyans,” he noted. This year’s Safari features 20 gruelling special stages covering 350.02 competitive kilometres across four punishing days, a relentless test of speed, stamina and survival.

‎“We have 20 stages packed into four days; consistency and smart driving will be key. We respect the level of competition in WRC2, but we are ready to give it our all on home soil,” he said. ‎Patel revealed that he feels the weight of the Safari’s demanding course.

‎“Safari Rally always comes with nerves and pressure. This is the fifth year we are doing it, so hopefully nothing will change in terms of our approach. What we want to change is our results,” he added.

‎Last year’s edition ended in heartbreak after Patel was forced into early retirement following terminal engine damage in the infamous “fesh fesh” at Camp Moran, a section notorious for swallowing cars whole.

‎Fesh fesh, an ultra-fine, talcum-like dust common in arid terrain, often appears deceptively solid but behaves like quicksand. It clogs air filters, smothers engines, reduces traction and can instantly bog down even the most well-prepared rally machines, a hazard synonymous with endurance classics such as the Dakar and the Safari.

‎“Fesh fesh caused us not to finish the rally, so the snorkel should contribute positively to mitigating the influence of fesh fesh,” Patel explained. ‎“Every time we have had issues, I believe there is a reason it happened. We always try to mitigate and cover our weaknesses,” he added.

‎Confident in their meticulous preparation, Patel believes the Fabia R5 is primed for battle. ‎“We put the car through its paces, and we are looking forward to a successful rally this time.”

‎Tauseef echoed the optimism from the right-hand seat. ‎“The test drive went well. The feeling is good, and we are looking forward to the event. ‎“The aim is to finish strong this year and just have a different approach for this year,” Tauseef said.

‎He also underlined the mental and physical demands of the Safari. ‎“We need to be mentally prepared for the race because it’s a long event. We also need to hydrate well, that is key during the race.”