Since the return of the World Rally Championship (WRC) in Kenya in 2021, things have never been the same. The main event, usually convened in Naivasha due to its scenic terrains, always creates a global buzz with all eyes gazing upon magical Kenya.

Apart from the adrenaline and buzz, the race has opened up a world of opportunities for drivers, co-drivers, entrepreneurs, and even the local community.

Among the notable drivers in the WRC is Tinashe Gatimu, who has entered the history books as one of the youngest drivers in Kenyan history.

What makes Tinashe’s case even more intriguing is that inside her car, her co-driver is someone she trusts the most—her mother.

This mother-daughter duo has attracted a lot of attention, humanized the sport, and given Kenyans someone to look up to every time the WRC circuit hits home.

She first got into a rally car not too long ago, when her interest in the sport was in full swing. “Mom and dad used to bring my sister and me to the races so that we could witness it,” she said in an interview with TV47. Her mother, Carol Gatimu, reveals that initially, Tinashe had no interest in the sport; even when she was brought along, she was preoccupied with her other interests.

Now aged 20, Tinashe explains that something changed in 2021. A switch flipped inside her, and her passion for motorsports ignited. By 2022, she was ready to take on the challenge herself.

“Tina’s journey in motorsports began in 2008 when we started attending events as a family. Back then, she wasn’t interested—she would sit in a corner with a book, waiting for us to finish. However, towards the end of 2021, something changed. She developed a passion for racing and officially started competing in 2022. Since then, she hasn’t looked back. Her first ‘car’ wasn’t actually a car—it was a type of buggy. She raced it for a while before upgrading to a Toyota Levin, and now she drives a Subaru,” Carol explains.

Last year, when the WRC Safari Rally approached, a pivotal decision had to be made. Carol was supposed to drive, but with Tinashe having just graduated from her teenage years and gaining confidence, the family decided it was time for her to take the lead. Caroline transitioned into the role of co-driver, trusting her daughter to steer their journey forward. The risk paid off as Tinashe finished 10th in her first WRC Safari Rally, and a year later, in 2024, she improved to 7th place.

Challenges on the track

Despite the smiles, passion, and trust between the mother-daughter duo, they have faced their fair share of obstacles. Carol recalls the first time they experienced a roll when Tinashe was in the driver’s seat and took a bend too fast—fortunately, everyone made it out safely.

During the 2024 Safari Rally, as they raced through Sleeping Warrior, the duo encountered an adrenaline-pumping moment when a sudden downpour turned the course into a treacherous mud track. Their success also cannot be discussed without mentioning KCB Bank, which has been sponsoring them. Motorsport is an expensive sport, with some proper racing cars costing over Sh 100m.

Since 2021, KCB has spent Ksh. 800 million and invested Ksh. 2.3 billion in motorsports to open up more opportunities for navigators and drivers. In 2025, KCB pumped Sh 209 million into the WRC, sponsoring four local drivers including the Gatimu duo. The other drivers are Nikhil Sachania, Karan Patel, and Evans Kavisi.

Nikhil Sachania

Nikhil Sachania is the only paraplegic rally driver in the Kenyan rally arena currently. You might be wondering how he handles intensive gear shifting, braking, and steering simultaneously.

One of Nikhil’s best rally cars is the Ford Fiesta Rally3, which has been modified to feature a unique steering column that houses the brakes, gear shift levels, and accelerator. Sounds like a lot?

For him, it’s all easy peasy. Nikhil, named the 2014 Motorsports Personality of the Year, had an incident in the 2024 WRC when he crashed his Mitsubishi Evo X—a car he had used for seven years.

Yet, in 2023, that Evo X propelled him to a podium finish, where he came in third alongside his co-driver and navigator, Deep Patel.

Together, they dominated WRC3, ARC3, and Class RC3, and secured 5th overall in the Africa Rally Championship and 21st in the World Rally Championship standings.

Evans Kavisi

When not on rugged terrains pushing the pedal to the metal, Evans Kavisi can be found on lush green serene golf courses, swinging his club. After taking a one-year hiatus from racing, Kavisi turned to golf to reflect and cool off.

Kavisi and Absalom, who were forced to retire after the second loop at Sleeping Warrior due to mechanical issues with their vehicle.

“I needed some time to put my head together and remember why I got into the sport in the first place. It’s an emotional sport, and the moment you put on that helmet, reality strikes. Sometimes, when things don’t go as expected, it becomes frustrating, considering the resources one has to invest. I now feel that I am in a better space than I was,” he commented on his break.

He returned to the WRC this year with a bang alongside his trusted navigator, Absalom Aswani, driving a Mitsubishi Evo X.

Kavisi is also a seasoned architect and an ardent runner.

Karan Patel

The duo of Karan Patel and Taauseff Khan are two-time Africa Rally Champions. Karan leads the Kenya National Rally Championship (KNRC) category and drove a Skoda Fabia Rally2 in this year’s WRC.

The 33-year-old Kenyan-born driver participated in his first WRC rally in 2016 during the Rally de Portugal.

Since then, he has shown immense growth and skill, achieving significant milestones across WRC categories. In the WRC2 category, his best overall result was an impressive 9th place finish at the Safari Rally Kenya in 2024, and in WRC3, he secured his first stage win in 2021 during Stage SS1 of the Safari Rally Kenya, along with a podium finish—his best overall result in that category.

These achievements highlight his remarkable talent and resilience in challenging terrains despite his decision to retire after this year’s race.

Who won the WRC 2025 in Naivasha?

Elfyn Evans, alongside the Toyota Gazoo Racing team, emerged victorious at the Safari Rally Kenya.

His impressive win has propelled him to the championship lead with 88 points, while Thierry Neuville and Ott Tänak trail with 52 and 49 points, respectively.

What does a rally car navigator do?

For a rally race to succeed, the driver is always supported by a navigator. In her interview with TV47, Tinashe’s mother—now the navigator—explained that as a navigator, your head is always on the notes while your nerves are on the road.

Duties of a navigator include:

• Reading out pacenotes that describe the road ahead, including corners, obstacles, and distances.

• Ensuring the driver stays on the correct route to avoid penalties.

• Keeping track of time to ensure timely arrivals at checkpoints, service points, and start lines.

• Communicating with the team to update on progress and report any issues.

• Assisting in quick decision-making in case of mechanical problems.