Talanta Motorsport Academy aims to make sport 'accessible for all'

Talanta Motorsport Academy was officially unveiled, ahead of the Safari Rally, on Wednesday 28 March, marking a significant milestone for the future of Kenyan motorsport.

Led by the Kenya Academy of Sports, the Talanta Motorsport Academy’s primary aim is to discover and nurture young motorsport talent while also advancing sports research.

With a capacity to host over 500 children, the academy offers a platform for budding talents, particularly those from underprivileged backgrounds, to develop their skills and pursue careers in the highly competitive world of rallying.

Shekhar Mehta: The man with an envious Safari Rally record

The motorsport academy comes at a time when the local sport has suffered a significant decrease in entries with only a few Kenyan drivers having entered the WRC categories since the Safari made a return to the global scene in 2021.

An expensive sport, rallying has been left to a chosen few due to the high costs of operation. 

Low entries have not only been witnessed in the Safari but in the Kenya National Rally Championship (KNRC) and other national rallying events like Rally Raid, Tarmac, Karting, 4x4 and Autocross, which are the breeding ground for rally drivers. 

Whether the academy will help address such issues, in addition to nurturing talents, remains to be seen. 

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua who officially unveiled the academy alongside Sports CS Ababu Namwamba emphasised the government's commitment to nurturing home-grown talent through the academy, saying:

“The Talanta Motorsport Academy, to be housed at the Kenya Academy of Sports, captures our sole endeavour to refine talented individuals and make them extra competitive globally. Our young rally drivers will benefit from the best counsel, knowledge and guidance through this Academy to conquer the World Rally Championship." 

Also present during the launch was the FIA Vice President for Sport-Africa, Rodrigo Rocha, who highlighted the significance of the Talanta Motorsport Academy in aligning with the core values of the FIA.

“The Talenta Motor Sport Academy is a fantastic example of giving a platform for young prospects to demonstrate their potential at grassroots level,” he explained. “We’re here to engage with racing enthusiasts and build pathways for them to motor sport at all levels.

Whether that’s by getting behind the wheel, changing a gearbox, waving a chequered flag, or racing your friends online, the point is motor sport is accessible for all," Rocha said. 

Additional information by WRC