'We are not about to give up' – Yasin Nasser promises strong Safari Rally comeback

Ugandan crew of Yasin Nasser and Ali Katumba are the current leaders of the Africa Rally Championship (ARC) | Photo Credit: Courtesy

'We are not about to give up' – Yasin Nasser promises strong Safari Rally comeback

Festus Chuma 09:56 - 13.03.2025

Yasin Nasser prepares for his third WRC Safari Rally attempt, determined to finish and earn Africa Rally Championship points after past setbacks.

Ugandan rally ace Yasin Nasser is set to take another shot at conquering the grueling WRC Safari Rally as the World Rally Championship returns to Kenya next week from March 20-23.

The two-time Ugandan National Rally Champion is determined to finally secure a finish at the prestigious event after two previous heartbreaks.

“We are not about to give up on Safari. Our preparations for the event remain the same as before, and we are hopeful that this time we shall do much better,” Nasser stated in an interview with Kawowo Sport.

Nasser, alongside co-driver Ali Katumba, will be making their third attempt at the legendary rally.

Their debut in 2021 saw them competing in the WRC category with a Subaru GVB, but their campaign was cut short on stage seven of leg two due to an engine knock.

In 2024, misfortune struck again when a dramatic crash in the treacherous Kedong stage not only forced them out of the race but also ended their entire season due to the extensive damage sustained by their Ford Fiesta Rally2.

“That incident in Kedong took us by surprise. We couldn’t believe the extent of the damage when we got out of the car,” Nasser recalled.

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“We were doing a second pass on Kedong, but because of the impact of the previous cars, especially the WRC cars, a ditch was created in the fesh-fesh. We could not anticipate it in our notes, and that explained the roll.”

Despite the setbacks, Nasser and the Moil Rally Team remain undeterred. They are returning with renewed optimism and a fully restored Ford Fiesta Rally2, affectionately known as “Nemo.”

“Nemo (Ford) is firmly back on track. The team is ready. We shall have our own race and pray that we register a decent finish at the event,” he emphasized.

This year’s Safari Rally holds additional significance as it also serves as the opening round of the Africa Rally Championship (ARC).

While Nasser remains focused on achieving his first WRC Safari Rally finish, he is also aware that a strong performance will boost his ARC campaign.

“Our focus is not yet so much on ARC. What we are sure of is that once we get a good finish, it will play for both sides – a WRC finish and ARC points,” he noted.

Having already secured the ARC2 title, along with multiple Uganda and Tanzania national rally titles, Nasser believes an overall ARC crown would be a perfect addition to his decorated rally career.

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