The oldest racer in the history of WRC rallies

The Safari Rally has officially started today, and the 91-year-old Sobiesław Zasada has thus become the oldest World Rally Championship (WRC) in history.

I feel like an old man, but I’d still like to reach the finish line. I hope to break my record when I turn 100 - said Zasada after finishing the first special stage.a specjalnego.

The grand opening of the rally and a neutral start took place in Nairobi, at the Kenyatta Convention Center. President of Kenya Uhuru Kenyatta greeted the sportsmen and expressed his pride at the fact that the Safari Rally finally returned to the WRC schedule after 19 years. During the neutral start, the president of Kenya gave the Polish driver a warm handshake, while Jean Todt, the President of the International Automobile Federation (FIA), fastened Zasada’s seatbelts as a friendly gesture.

Following the official start, the drivers passed the first special stage of the rally, spanning the volcanic dust-covered route at the outskirts of Nairobi. As Zasada’s Ford pierced through the clouds of dust, excited fans were shouting his name. Emotions crescendoed as Zasada passed by, like they would for the best drivers in the world, such as Sebastian Ogier.

The oldest rally driver in the world, up until that point, was Leif Wold-Johansen from Norway. He completed the Monte Carlo Rally in 1984 at 82. Zasada’s participation garnered significant media attention in Kenya, which held great respect for the Polish racer’s efforts and physical condition. These aroused the interest of Kenyans as well, who treat the Safari Rally like a grand celebration.

This is a great inspiration for all of us; we are all impressed by this event and keep our fingers crossed for Zasada, a true champion, as we do for our local drivers - said Nyokabi Muthama, a businesswoman from Nairobi, who attended the grand opening.

For the legendary Polish driver, this was the 9th time that he participated in the event, with his first in 1969. Three years later, he achieved his best score in East African routes by taking the second place. Before the most recent rally, he last participated in the 1997 one, ranking second in the N group alongside his wife, Ewa. This year, he will be driving with Tomasz Borysławski as his co-driver, behind the wheel of a Ford Fiesta ST RC3.

The first Safari Rally was held in 1952, then called East African Coronation Safari. It coincided with the year when Elizabeth II ascended to the throne, while Kenya remained a British colony.

58 crews are participating in the on-going event, including 34 originating from Kenya. The rally will last until Sunday.