Varese outlines season's targets ahead of Eldoret rally

Two Wheel Drive (2WD) and Division 3 leader Leonardo Varese maintains that it is still early days to predict the Kenya National Rally Championship (KNRC) division title prospects despite his stellar performance in the opening three legs. 

Navigated by Kigo Kareithi, Varese says they are focused on getting to the end and picking points in each leg of the series. 

Karan Patel: ARC was good preparation for Safari rally

The driver consolidated his 2WD Championship lead after the third event of the year on the Africa Rally Championship (ARC) Equator Rally in Naivasha. 

He also cutupulted to the top of the Division 3 log as well as moving up to third place in the KNRC overall standings contrary to all expectations.

"We are placed third on the KNRC overall standings behind Karan Patel and Jasmeet Chana but we are not very keen on that bit of competition as we know our limitations and nature of car.

But then again, for a 2WD driver to be placed third in the overall standings is historic and a bit of an embarrassment to those running expensive state-of-the-art machines. For sure, since the late 90s, no 2WD was anywhere near the top of KNRC championship," explained Varese. 

He continued, "We drive the most underpowered car in the Championship but we compensate it with guts, reliability and attention to detail. We have always remained resilient in the face of adversity as it is not an easy task to achieve results in an underpowered car."

Further, Varese attributes his outstanding performance at the ARC event to Kareithi.

"Having him call our pacenotes is like music to my ears. 16 years together and back on the FIA African Rally Championship front against sophisticated machinery at the weekend was a such great feeling for us," he offered.

Kareithi guided Varese to 12th overall position at the ARC Equator Rally and indeed settled for second position in KNRC 2WD category behind 19 year old Rio Smith.

Smith had retired with mechanical problems on the first loop of Leg One on Saturday but fixed the damage on his RC2 Rally 4 Ford Fiesta to rejoin the rally on the "Super Rally" rule, thus closing Sunday's final Leg 2 on 10th overall position.

Varese, on the other hand, endured the full route in Naivasha including the dreaded loose volcanic ash gravel at Kedong to survive the energy-sapping conditions when majority of the competitors were dependent on the Super Rally for survival.

“The potential to keep going in our 2WD Toyota Auris is there. In Mogotio we could not carry any Class points because we were lone rangers in 2WD. It was good having competition with Rio in Naivasha. I am looking forward to Sameer Nanji's return in his 2WD VW Golf," added Varese. 

He says the car will undergo major set up work and check up in the run up to KNRC 4 in Eldoret.

"We cannot afford to take things for granted at this juncture, but we are very happy with the development of the Toyota Auris in Kenya," he says.