Sun July 22, 2001

NEWS JUST IN

 Harri keeps 2nd @ 09:12 PM - The stewards rejected Ford's protest and Harri Rovanpera will keep his 6 points for second position in which he finished on this weekend's Safari Rally. The Ford team protested Rovanpera, who approached a time control from the wrong direction on leg one. Francois Delecour therefore remains in 4th position and the final standings are unchanged.

 Harri to be excluded? @ 02:08 PM - The Safari Rally could yet have one final twist. The event stewards will discuss tonight an allegation that the second-placed Peugeot driver Harri Rovanpera reached a control on the first day from the wrong direction. If the stewards agree that the Finn infringed the rules then he faces exclusion from the event.

 Makinen wins, glory for Skoda @ 12:16 AM - I'm not sure which is the greater achievement - Tommi Makinen won a superb Safari Rally with total dominance from the front, but perhaps more significantly Armin Schwarz secured Skoda's first podium in the world rally championship. Quite simply, a marvellous event.

 Solberg Retires @ 08:44 AM - Subaru's Petter Solberg has retired on a delayed section 10 after damaging a right-front wheel bearing and loosing the wheel. Stage 11 has been cancelled to bring the rally back on schedule. Makinen continues to lead from Rovenpera, but Skoda's Armin Schwarz is now third!

 Stages Delayed @ 05:37 AM - Low cloud near the first stage has prevented safety helicopters from taking off. Petter Solberg is on the line ready to go. But organisers have delayed the stage due to the weather. Makinen and Rovanpera both started - Rovanpera without a safety helicopter! On the road section to the days first service Makinen's Mitsubishi blew a turbo. A new one was fitted in service. Organisers may cancel SS11 to try and put the rally back on schedule.

Sat July 21, 2001

NEWS JUST IN

 Petter Sets Another Fastest @ 02:31 PM - Another fastest time from Petter on SS8 gives him his third win from four stages: "I pushed a bit on that one, just to keep it interesting! I went wide on one corner when I came out of the ruts in the road, but the car is running fine and it was a good stage." Still third by 3:18 but a good sign.

 Ford Losing Safari Battle @ 08:08 AM - On the longest day in the WRC calendar of five stages totalling 426 competitive kms Ford have lost both Carlos and Delecour has hit trouble. Engine problems on the first stage of leg two put Carlos out and Delcour broke a driveshaft in SS5. He limped through the stage, but lost six minutes. Makinen now leads from Rovenpera by almost 6 mins after SS6, which on third placed Solberg lost 2 minutes 35.

Fri July 20, 2001

NEWS JUST IN

 McRae cooks clutch to exit Safari @ 06:36 PM - Ford's Colin McRae tried everything possible to recover from a steering rack problem on his Focus WRC on the third section of the Safari Rally. It was all to no avail - the clutch got cooked, and bang went four in a row.

 Colin Joins Burns @ 01:52 PM - Colin McRae went off the road on stage 3 and he joined Richard Burns in retired on the road section with steering rack and clutch problems. Now Carlos has a chance to notch up another win and lead the all time winners list.

 Richard Burns Out Already! @ 09:18 AM - Richard has retired from the rally. His car suffered a broken front suspension strut 50kms before the end of the first 117km stage - the longest of the event. Despite his best efforts to make roadside repairs he was not able to cont.

Thu July 19, 2001

NEWS JUST IN

 Weather threatens rally @ 09:03 PM - The rainy and misty weather in Kenya is sending the rally organisers into a spin, there being a real chance that competitive sections may have to be cancelled because they can't get spotter helicopters in the air. Check out the story and the rally weather ...

Thu July 12, 2001

NEWS JUST IN

 3 Octavias on Safari @ 12:06 AM - Skoda Motorsport World Rally Team have confirmed that they will run 3 Octavia World Rally Cars for the first time on a WRC event at next weeks Safari Rally. 25-year-old Roman Kresta will drive the Czech Team's Safari test car.

Tue June 19, 2001

NEWS JUST IN

 Skoda to run 3 cars on Safari? @ 10:41 AM - Skoda Motorsport could run their first ever 3 car team of Octavia WRCs on next month's Safari Rally in Kenya. The Czech marque has provisionally entered an evolution 1 version of the Octavia WRC for reigining Czech Champion Roman Kresta.