23-Year-Old Kenyan Causing Ripples In Motorsport

Twenty-three-year-old Kenyan rally driver Jeremiah Wahome will be racing in the Pearl of Africa Uganda Rally to be held from 6^th to 8th of May 2022 in the districts of Mukono and Bukwe. Uganda will host round three of the Africa Rally Championship where Jeremiah Wahome along with his rally star teammates are ready to take the charge to the locals.

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The Africa Rally Championship, known as ARC, takes place in seven African countries: Ivory Coast, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Zambia and South Africa. Jeremiah Wahome is looking to build on the strong form he displayed during the Equator Rally held in Kenya in early April, where he finished 4th overall after a late penalty relegated him from 2nd place.

Mr Wahome and his navigator, Mr Victor Okundi, are determined not to let the penalty dampen their spirits, but rather serve as encouragement for the rapid acceleration track they are on. However, they are not letting the prospects of success become a distraction.

“Our approach for Uganda is the same: keep learning, keep growing and keep enjoying the ride. We have an amazing opportunity to represent the young generation and show that confidence and support given to young sportsmen and sportswomen is not misplaced,” says Wahome.

Mr Wahome will be driving the Rally3 Fiesta and is excited to be part of the continent’s biggest crowd-puller rally. “Whenever a rally is new, it’s always a tricky affair. I’m sure it’s going to be a challenge, because of the huge turnout of fans on the roads but it’s one event I’m looking forward to,” added Mr Wahome.

Jeremiah’s motorsport background surprisingly doesn’t feature any off-road experience. Having started out in go-karting, Mr Wahome chose to chase the Formula 1 dream, aiming to become the first Kenyan Formula 1 driver. His pursuits saw him become the first Kenyan to represent the country at Formula 3 level, across Europe and Asia.

His efforts saw him get selected to be a member of the WRC Kenya Rally Star Program and he has not disappointed, leading in his category on several occasions and threatening overall podium finishes.

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Jeremiah Wahome’s passion for motorsport began when he was eight years old, and has seen him progress from go-karting in Kenya to competing in Formula 3 championships across Europe and Asia. His ultimate ambition is to represent Africa at the pinnacle of motorsport (Formula 1 & WRC), and along with him inspire many young Africans.

Between 2016 and 2018, Mr Wahome became the first Kenyan to represent the country in the British and Asian Formula 3 championships. He finds himself in a unique position in that he is on the trajectory of being the first African to make it to the pinnacle of both Formula 1 and WRC.

2021 saw Wahome kick-start his rallying career having been selected to be a part of the FIA Rally Star program. He quickly established himself as a front runner by finishing 16th overall and first place in his car category at the WRC Safari Rally. In the 2022 Equator rally, Wahome finished 4th overall, placing as the highest junior driver and first in his class.

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