Christoffersen targets second podium finish in WRC Safari Rally

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Lioness Rally founder Lisa Christoffersen is among the speedsters who are eyeing glory in this year’s WRC Safari Rally set for Naivasha from Thursday to Sunday.

Christoffersen and her co-driver Christabel Wacuka are already making final touches on their Subaru N15 which they will use to comb the rough terrains of Naivasha in search of glory.

The duo is set for the ultimate test drive today to gauge the readiness of their car ahead of the crunch man versus machine battle that awaits in Naivasha next week.

“We believe we are ready for the Safari Rally. We will be going for the podium finish in the African Rally Championship (ARC) category,” Christoffersen told Standard Sports yesterday during a ceremony in Nairobi where car dealing firm Urysia handed her a Peugeot Landtrek double cabin pick-up to use at the Safari Rally recce in Naivasha next week.

She will also use the Peugeot Landtrek during the Lioness Heels on Wheels, a women’s drive for change initiative, set for Nairobi tomorrow that will snake across Karen Blixen Museum, Ngong Race Course and the Lifestyle in Gigiri. Proceeds from the event will be used to support girl child education and the elderly.

Asked about her chemistry with her navigator Wacuka, Christoffersen said: “Very great. We are all on point, on and off the track. We just want to be on the podium at the Safari Rally, so we are working on it.”

It will be the second time that Christoffersen and Wacuka will be battling for honours in the Safari Rally, with their first attempt in 2024 where they also made it to the podium.

“Last year, we were in Naivasha unfortunately we did not race due to factors beyond control that came up in the last minutes. “Personally, I do kick-boxing. This sport has made me physically and mentally fit ahead of the rally,” Christoffersen said. Christoffersen is inspired in motorsports by former French female rally driver Michele Mouton who not only registered four WRC leg victories in her hey-days, but had nine podium finishes including an overall WRC second place finish in 1982.

“I loved the way Mouton beat men in the male dominated sport which is also very patriarchal. Through her, I strongly believe it’s very possible to win the Safari Rally and also the WRC as a woman.” Christoffersen is grateful for sponsors who have come on board to support their bid for this year’s Safari Rally including the Standard Group PLC. Others in the fray are the Shell Vivo Energy, car dealers Urysia, Advertising agency Digital Mara, printing company Level 24, law firm Adra and Safaricom.

Her ultimate dream in motorsport is to see the Lionesses she is currently grooming to rise higher and become world beaters of the World Rally Championship.