The route

Bad weather wiped out a sixth of this year’s Safari, but it was still a marathon event compared to any stage raly. In total, it covered 1,598 miles, of which 944 were competitive, in three days.

The second leg alone spanned 752 miles, with 450 competitive in just five sections, making each one an average of 90 miles, or rather more than a complete Mintex Series round stage distance. It travelled furthest from Nairobi, running west over the Mau Escarpment, then turning north past Lake Baringo and west again, north of Eldoret and close to the Ugandan border.

The first leg looped south-east of Nairobi, covering 413 miles, with four competitive sections making up 218 miles, while the third leg (which was also significantly shortened) was eventually concentrated entirely in the west. It included the longest section of the event, at 133 miles.

There were service areas in the first and second legs, but plenty of opportunity for free, old-style service as well. Helicopters were also permitted, all the works drivers using them both in a spotter role and for servicing, aside from Liatti, who only benefited when running ahead of McRae.

Works teams were approximately double the usual size (both Subaru and Mitsubishi had 75 people on hand), but around half the size of a competitive Safari team five years ago.

In 2009, Bernhard acquired a 1998 Subaru Impreza 555 Edition, inspired by rally legends like Richard Burns. Initially modifying the car with rally-inspired aesthetics, Bernhard sought a unique project, leading to the discovery of the Safari Rally. Aiming to replicate Burns’ 2000 Safari Rally-winning car, Bernhard spent years sourcing rare parts. A pivotal moment occurred at Rallyday 2016, where the tribute car was showcased alongside the original, deepening the commitment to creating a distinctive homage to the Safari Rally’s legacy: The Subaru Impreza Group A replica project had started.

In collaboration with Xavi (WANMAN) a remote controlled 1/10 scale model of the Subaru Impreza Safari Rally car was released. This particular model is a smaller version of Bernhards own 1/1 replica car.