NAIROBI, March 26 (Xinhua) -- The World Rally Championship (WRC) Safari Rally Kenya zooms off on Wednesday with the pre-event shakedown in Naivasha, about 90km northwest of the Kenyan capital Nairobi.

The shakedown allows drivers and their navigators to test the setup of their assembled machines and make changes if needed ahead of the final inspection before the race starts.

This week's Safari Rally, which ends on Sunday, is shaping up to be one of the most challenging since the event's return to the FIA WRC in 2021.

Heavy rain in the days leading to the race has muddied the roads, with some of the crews struggling in some sections.

Bringing the event forward in the calendar has returned the Safari to its classic March date, which aligns more closely with the rainy season in Kenya with 29 starters cleared to start the event proper on Thursday.

In an effort to deal with potentially flooded roads, many of the cars are running snorkels, which allow the engine to breathe whilst reducing the risk of ingesting water.

Toyota Gazoo Racing Team Principal Jari-Matti Latvala admitted the event could provide a different - and sterner - test than in previous years as the Japanese manufacturer seeks a fourth successive win in Africa's round of the WRC.

"Patience is always very important, and especially if the weather gets difficult. Being the smartest can be the key, rather than being the fastest. All of our drivers have shown what it takes to do well there and we would like to see another Toyota win," Latvala, who is a retired driver, told the official WRC website on Tuesday.

Eight-time world champion and last year's Safari winner Sebastien Ogier will sit out this year's event for Toyota. However, the team will parade reigning champion and 2022 Safari winner Kalle Rovanpera in their GR Yaris Rally1 car alongside Welshman Elfyn Evans and Japanese ace Takamoto Katsuta, twice a podium finisher in Kenya.

Evans comes to the Safari lying second in the 2024 WRC standings with 45 points, behind championship leader and Hyundai Motorsport star Thierry Neuville, who has 48 from the opening legs of Monaco and Sweden. Esapekka Lappi will be aiming to continue his winning form after he claimed a popular victory in Sweden in February. Finn, who drives part-time for Hyundai, will pilot their i20 N Rally1 car for the South Korean marque alongside Neuville and Estonian Ott Tanak.

The third works team in the top WRC 1 competition is the M-Sport Ford WRT. Adrien Fourmaux is the favorite in their PumaRally1 machine since he is coming fresh from his maiden podium in Sweden. Gregoire Munster and Jourdan Serderidis complete the British team's line-up.

Other competitions that will run alongside the main race in this year's event are the WRC2 and WRC3 championships.

WRC2 is limited to production-based cars homologated under Group Rally2 (or previous R5) rules. There are separate specific championship titles awarded to teams, drivers and co-drivers open to the supplementary class of private entries under 30 years.

Entry into WRC3 is limited to cars that are based on production models and homologated under Group Rally3 rules, although before 2022 Group Rally2 cars were used.

Meanwhile, local organizers moved to assure the world that this year's event will proceed without a hitch. At the center of the dispute is claims of unpaid money to suppliers, service providers and volunteer allowances running into hundreds of dollars accruing from the Safari Rally since its return to the WRC.

Concern over the event escalated at the end of last week when it was reported event director Jim Kahumbura had resigned only for the decision to be rescinded hours later. Kahumbura was among those who held an audience with the president on Monday. Enditem

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