Having previously survived the rigours of "fesh fesh" volcanic dust, 2019 World Rally Champion Ott Tanak will be returning to the fabled WRC Safari Rally with only one mission to accomplish - "conquering the world's toughest gravel"!
The Estonian speed merchant has since graced two WRC Safaris behind the wheel of an i20 marque; finishing third overall in 2021 and retiring in 2022 with power steering gremlins.
But some Kenyan rally experts remain uncertain whether or not the former Toyota man is the right guy to lead M-Sport Ford to its maiden Safari glory in the Rally1 hybrid era.
Tanak had to contend with playing second fiddle after a frustrating 2021 campaign which saw him rack up more stage wins than any of his race adversaries, only for outright victories to elude him much to his chagrin.
Former Kenyan 2WD Champion Dennis Mwenda aka "Dere Mwenda" believes the desire for Tanak to prove Puma's potential on the planet’s toughest gravel in "Varsha" may turn out to be tricky.
"So far the Puma Rally1 has been unreliable in the few rallies that Tanak has raced in. Last year, as well, M-Sport had issues with Safari unlike Toyota who continue to rule the roost with zest and vigor. So it will be tricky for Tanak in my opinion," Mwenda noted.
But other experts also reckon that the Estonian possesses the much-needed pedigree to propel M-Sport Ford to dizzying heights.
Wayne Fernandes, a Kenyan motorsport all-rounder, on his part observed: "He (Tanak) should never have left Toyota. I believe he made the biggest mistake as that's the car that gave him a championship. But on a good day, he's competitive behind the wheel."
Tanak is teamed with compatriot Martin Järveoja in WRC’s Kenyan fixture slated for June 22-25 and is among the trio listed in the M-Sport World Rally Team alongside Pierre-Louis Loubet and privateer Jourdan Serderidis.
Kalle Rovanperä and Sébastien Ogier - winners of the previous two editions - will both field Toyota GR Yaris cars along with Elfyn Evans and Takamoto Katsuta, the Japanese star who is a two-time podium finisher in Kenya.
Hyundai Motorsport WRT has entered a trio of i20 Ns for Esapekka Lappi, Thierry Neuville and Dani Sordo in the event sponsored by KCB Bank Kenya, Talanta Hela, Toyota Kenya, Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), Wildlife Research & Training Institute Kenya and Government of Kenya (GOK).
Kajetan Kajetanowicz tops the WRC2 entry in a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, while other notable entrants in the premier support category include Grégoire Munster (Ford Fiesta Rally2) and KCB- sponsored Karan Patel (Ford Fiesta R5).
Tänak achieved his maiden drivers' world title in 2019, making him the first Estonian to win the title, the first non-Frenchman to do so since Petter Solberg in 2003 and the first for Toyota since Didier Auriol in 1994.
The former champion inked a deal at the start of the 2023 season which reunited him with M-Sport Ford, the team that helped to launch his World Rally career.
It was at M-Sport that the 35-year-old earned a first top flight podium finish and a maiden victory.
Tanak has one win so far in Sweden and currently sits second on the 2023 WRC log behind the Toyota Gazoo Racing's Rovanpera.
