WRC Kenya: Why the tyres matter on Safari Rally

The legendary Safari Rally covers much shorter distances than in the past – when individual special stages (previously known as ‘competitive sections') would often exceed 100 kilometres in length – but the only African round of the World Rally Championship still retains its reputation as a car breaker.

Tyres get a workout too, as they have to cope with deep ruts and huge rocks as well as sustained high speeds. Rain can make the roads extremely muddy and slippery in an instant, but can also be extremely localised, often falling only in one part of a stage while other sections remain dry.

Tyre wear is actually less severe than on some other gravel rallies, which tends to make the soft compound of Pirelli's KX Scorpion gravel tyres the preferred choice for the teams over the hard compound. This versatile rubber provides the drivers with optimal grip, whatever conditions they face in the Kenyan bush.

Rather than the tread, it's the sidewall of the tyre that is most under attack from the scenery, having to withstand impacts from the sharp rocks and deep ruts that can easily damage the mechanical components and wheels of the cars, ending a rally on the spot.

First held 70 years ago to mark the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II of Britain, the East African Safari Rally was part of the inaugural WRC season when the championship began 20 years later in 1973 and soon earned a reputation as the championship's toughest and most extreme event. The rally covered vast distances on open roads – alongside regular traffic – with competitive sections that lasted hundreds of kilometres.

Teams would spend months in Africa developing and testing bespoke cars that could handle the rough terrain; during the rally they would fly spotter helicopters above the competitors that could warn them of oncoming hazards such as giraffes and zebras. It was an event like no other, but it was highly dangerous. All this became a bit too much as the WRC evolved to fit the 21st century and modern sensibilities, so the Safari was dropped after 2002.

After an absence of nearly 20 years, the rally returned to the calendar in 2021 with a more compact and typical format, held mostly across private reserves. But while the one-off modifications seen in the past such as snorkels and bull-bars are prohibited for the top Rally1 cars, the rally is still tough enough to demand a different approach by teams and drivers – who are more accustomed to flat-out sprints. In 2022, only Toyota avoided major delays to take a 1-2-3-4 finish, more than eight minutes ahead of the nearest competitor. It was the sort of result that was previously only seen in the old days.