The three junior drivers developed by the FIA Rally Star Programme for the 2023 Safari Rally were unveiled by Kenya Airways(KQ) at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport Tuesday.
The airline has renewed its annual Sh20 million sponsorship to fly the stars in Africa and Europe this season, said Kenya Airways Chief Executive Officer Allan Kilavuka when he hosted the team of Hamza Anwar, McRae Kimathi and Jeremiah Wahome at KQ headquarters in Nairobi.
The airline has sponsored the team over the last two years.
Anwar, who enlisted in the Junior World Rally Championship this year, returns home to chase after a much needed victory in this category to sustain his global quest for glory as he eyes his next engagement in Estonia WRC and Greece in August and September.
He has already competed in Sweden, Croatia and Portugal courtesy of part sponsorship from Kenya Airways. Hamza invited all fans to Naivasha to cheer him on and has promised to fight for a top finish n his category.
Safari Rally CEO Phineas Kimathi lauded Anwar for his good showing in the JWRC.
Anwar won the Africa junior championship last year, an achievement that earned him a seat in the FIA Championship.
McRae earned a similar opportunity in 2022 for being the youngest finisher in the 2019 FIA World Championship Candidate event Safari Rally.
“What you are seeing here are champions in the making in two years,” said Kimathi in reference to Jeremiah Wahome, winner the Machakos Rally, the first African driver to achieve this feat since Patrick Njiru in 1999.
Wahome is a former Formula III driver. Kimathi predicted that the trio would dominate in Kenya and Africa for a long time.
Kilavuka said Kenya Airways will team up with Safari Rally in planting trees as part of the Greening Project.
He said the junior team has promoted Kenya Airways as a brand more than they have received. “I will call this a partnership rather than sponsorship,” he said.
The KQ boss also announced that the future of the airline looks bright despite the financial challenges they have been facing.
The airline will from next year start being involved in sports.
