Inmarsat Safari Rally 2002

Entries
51
Starters
48
Finishers
11
Distance
936.05km

Overall winners

Harri Rovanperä
-
Risto Pietiläinen

Thomas Rådström
-
Denis Giraudet

Finishers
Retirements

Finishers

Position	No.	Driver	Co-driver	Car	Class
No team finished with a Subaru ...

Retirements

No.	Driver	Co-driver	Car	Class	Reason
10	Tommi Mäkinen	Kaj Lindström	Subaru Impreza WRC S7	A8	Suspension
11	Petter Solberg	Phil Mills	Subaru Impreza WRC S8	A8	Engine
32	Frédéric Dor	Didier Breton	Subaru Impreza WRC S8	A8	Suspension
57	Toshihiro Arai	Tony Sircombe	Subaru Impreza STi N8	N4	Clutch
100	Rory Green	Orson Taylor	Subaru Impreza	A8	Mechanical
101	Shahnawaz Murji	Mohammed Verjee	Subaru Impreza	A8	Accident
103	Nigel Heath	Steve Lancaster	Subaru Impreza S5 WRC '99	A8	Mechanical
107	Charles Muhangi	Frank Nekusa	Subaru Impreza	A8	Driveshaft
111	Phineas Kimathi	Dave Macharia	Subaru Impreza	N4	Mechanical
112	Lee Rose	Piers Daykin	Subaru Impreza	A8	Over time limit
114	Michelle van Tongeren	Anette Preston	Subaru Impreza	A8	Over time limit
115	Kailesh Chauhan	Frank Gitau	Subaru Forester	N4	Gearbox
116	Masayuki Yamada	Shunichi Washio	Subaru Impreza	N4	Over time limit
117	Don Smith	Adrian Wroe	Subaru Impreza	N4	Over time limt
119	John Ngunjiri	Thuita Karanja	Subaru Impreza	N4	Over time limit
120	Carl Tundo	Tim Jessop	Subaru Impreza	A8	Over time limit
121	Ron Oakeley	Julie Oakeley	Subaru Impreza	N4	Mechanical
122	Nishit Shah	Kashif Sheikh	Subaru Impreza	N4	Over time limit
123	Stefano Rocca	Peter Stone	Subaru Impreza	A8	Mechanical

Note: As a fan of Subaru the list only includes the teams driving a Subaru. This mostly to keep focus. The full results for this rally can be found on eWRC

The rally

The Inmarsat Safari Rally 2002, held from July 12 to 14 in Kenya, marked the 50th anniversary of the iconic event. This edition of the World Rally Championship (WRC) featured grueling and challenging terrain, true to the rally’s reputation. The rally covered rough, rocky roads and unpredictable weather, testing both drivers’ skill and cars’ durability.

Finnish driver Colin McRae, driving for Ford, emerged victorious, claiming his third Safari Rally win and strengthening his position in the championship standings. McRae’s consistent performance and strategic approach paid off, allowing him to navigate the treacherous conditions effectively. His teammate, Carlos Sainz, also showcased a strong performance, finishing second and contributing to Ford’s dominant display.

However, the rally was marked by significant attrition, with many top drivers and teams facing mechanical issues and accidents. Notably, reigning champion Richard Burns and Peugeot teammate Marcus Grönholm were among those who retired early due to technical problems.

The 2002 Safari Rally emphasized endurance and resilience, with McRae’s win underscoring his mastery of the challenging African terrain. Despite the demanding conditions, the event celebrated its golden jubilee with a thrilling display of rallying prowess, reaffirming its legendary status in the WRC calendar.

Event photo's

Photo's are an important part to keep the memory to the Safari Rally alive. Only the best are taken from personal archive to be displayed. They are collected over the past years and were found on a variaty of medium (including old forums!). Be aware most of them have copyright on them and you should enjoy them on this website and not take them.

Memorabilia

It is amazing how many items are still around! Friends from around the world helping a lot. There's great joy in sharing these items with you. All these items are in private collection and carefully stored and documented. The collection will never be 'complete', but slowly new historic pieces are being added. Visit the website occasionally to find the new gems and go back to memory lane.