L. MathekaRwanda's Giancarlo banking on experience to impress in WRC Safari 2023
Reading Time: 2min | Wed. 14.06.23. | 15:43
Navigator Sylvia Vindevogel who has called Davite’s notes from 2005 says she is ready for the fesh-fesh and muddy routes of the Safari.
Rwandese rally driver Giancarlo Davite is brimming with confidence ahead of the grueling 19-stage 2023 World Rally Championship (WRC) Safari Rally slated for22 to 25 June.
The speed-merchant will ride in a new-look his Ford Fiesta Rally2 with his sponsors Agrotech appearing on both sides of the door while his other partners like Osho Chemicals Ltd occupy the space on the bonnet.
This year’s Safari will feature 10 World Rally Team priority 1 cars and 13 Priory 2 entrants and 5 priority 3 machines.
With a more elegant look than his previous years of Subaru STI and most recently Mitsubishi Evolution X, Giancarlo believes his new project will enable him to run the Kenyan premier event competitively against regional and European adversaries.
"Today we unveil our Ford Fiesta Rally2 for the next WRC Safari. For the third time running, we shall be competing in a WRC event, the legendary Kenyan round. And this year we decided to make an upgrade. We entered a Rally2, just behind the most famous Rally1 cars,” Davite offered while unveiling his machine.
Navigator Sylvia Vindevogel who has called Davite’s notes from 2005 says she is ready for the fesh-fesh and muddy routes of the Safari.
“In a few days to the Safari, our Little Bee is looking like our sweet Miss EvoX. Giancarlo and Myself will be taking part in the coming event in partnership with Asad Anwar, Hamza Anwar and a good deal of sponsors, I close one year of bad luck with loads of optimism and looking forward to the fesh fesh dust on areas around Lake Naivasha,” he offered.
Giancarlo is no stranger to Kenyan gravel roads having tackled his first Safari with compatriot Savio Muhigana in 2004.
But the rally gods have not been kind to him either as he has recorded multiple retirements in 2009, 2012, 2013, 2021 and 2022. He has nevertheless erased the jinx with two top 10 finishes in 2019 when he finished seventh in an EVOX and 2004, ninth in a VW Golf GTI.
“We know the Kenyan roads. We know how to attack and manage them. There will be only one thing to do, reach the end and the result will follow. Remember, it is Safari, it is not over until it's over,” Giancarlo continued.
He is listed among the 14-Rally 2 cars alongside Karan Patel's Ford Fiesta, Oliver Solberg in a Skoda Fabia Evo, Polish star Kajetan Kajetanowicz in a Škoda Fabia RS, Grégoire Munster (Ford Fiesta), Carl “Flash” Tundo (Skoda), Piero Canobbio of Kilifi in a Hyundai i20 NG Rally 2, Aakif Virani in a Skoda Fabia and Czech’s Martin Prokop among others.
