The year 2015 will be remembered in the Kenyan Motorsport having proved to be a success in competition and technology-wise.
Competition wise, Jaspreet Chatthe and Gurdeep Panaser came out with the top most accolade; the 2015 National Rally Champions.
The pair surprisingly managed to scoop the championship with only two rally wins out of the eight KNRC series. Their consistence assured them maximum points for the title.
As if that wasn’t enough, Chatthe painted Kenya beyond boarders after clinching the Africa Rally Championship title.
He led the ARC standings from the start winning three events out of seven to seal the championship.
By the clinching the African title, Chatthe became the first Kenyan to claim two prestigious titles in the same year. Also the first Kenyan to win ARC in 31years after David Horsey in 1984.
The KNRC was however spiced up with some Finnish flair. Tapio Laukkanen arrived on the Kenyan rally scene with good credentials; a former Finland and British Rally Champion. Adding a Kenyan title was just bound to be one of his accomplishments.
The Fin immediately made an impact; setting fastest times and with his skillful driving he swept four rounds out of eight in the KNRC series; Kisumu, Machakos, Eldoret and Guru Nanak Rally.
With no doubt, Laukkanen would win all the events had it not been for mechanical problems and also missing out some events.
Cars
The 2015 KNRC dished out some of the best when it came to cars.
A good mix of man and machine could all but add a touch of class to the series.
The arrival of Manvir Baryan and Rajbir Rai’s Ford fiesta R5s gave a great hope to motorsport in Kenya.
Rajbir Rai’s Ford Fiesta R5
With the addition of three R4s driven by Mangat, Chatthe and Laukkanen and four S2000s in the same competition! Although only Quentin Mitchell and Nikhil Sachania’s S2000s finished the season.
Mitchell’s Skoda Fabia s2000 (Photo Credits: Rooney/Motorsportkenya)
Who wouldn’t remember this season?
New high technology timing systems from tag heuer was another of the class acts from the KNRC.
The use of specialised rally equipment would change the approach to certain aspects of rallying.
KMSF hopes to invest in the new timing system next season to replace the current old flagging system.
The times will be able to produce accurate times and reduce on the time taken to release times with the flagging system.
Other facts that partially make 2015 remembered is the spectator turn up that has improved compared to the previous events.
The return of Eldoret Rally to the KNRC series after two years replacing Nanyuki rally.
Its in 2015, that Kenya withdrew form ARC series.
They revamped to the old traditional safaris that ran on Easter weekend and it proved a success though it never had foreign drivers.
FIA president Jean Todt’s visit in Kenya was partially a result to withdraw from ARC. He met with the President Uhuru Kenyatta on matters regarding WRC coming back to Kenya.