Round 4 April 16th-20th
The annual Safari Rally sees the World Championship move away from its more usual flat-out tarmac and gravel special stages and into the endurance of an event ploughing through the bush and scrubland of East Africa.
This video captures that special spirit which brings out the exclusive skills of the teams which compete - with manufacturer and drivers super-keen to capture success. Hannu Mikkola (Audi 200 Quattro) was making his return to the World Championship; three-times winners Toyota spared no expense and fielded Bjorn Waldegard as front-runner; the great Ari Vatanen was back and hoping to emulate his Paris-Dakar success though not in the Peugeot 209 but in a Subaru 4WD Turbo. Viewers of this film can enjoy a relaxed view of what is always a punishing event, made even more exciting this time with competitive sections where every second counts, introduced for the first time.
Race with the crews through the mud tracks and sparsely populated villages, flash the spanners at the service checks, call upon every ounce of reserve to reach the finishing line.