Safari Rally 1979 - African Odyssey

The Safari Rally, renowned as the toughest event in the WRC. The 1979 edition saw competitors travel 5,027 kms through Kenya with only 21 of 66 entrants finishing. Starting in Nairobi the rally travelled, over 3 legs, to the shores of Lake Victoria across to Mombasa on the coast and finally looping around Mt Kenya. Vast grasslands, tropical forests and the Great Rift Valley set the scene for the gruelling test. Mother Nature decided to take it easy on the drivers this year with a relatively dry wet season.

A fierce battle on the 1st leg saw less than 3 minutes between Hannu Mikkola (Mercedes-Benz) and Timo Makinen (Peugeot) after 28 hours of rallying. Makinen’s front suspension broke on leg 2 handing Mikkola the lead. On leg 3 Mikkola’s car suffered a broken fan and radiator damage meaning Shekhar Mehta (Datsun) inherited the lead. After making repairs Mikkola chased Mehta to the finish, but with too little time remaining Mehta emerged the victor.

Final results:
1st - Shekhar Mehta, Mike Doughty (Datsun 160J)
2nd - Hannu Mikkola, Arne Hertz (Mercedes-Benz 450 SLC) +48:00
3rd - Markku Alén, Ilka Kivimäki (Fiat 131 Abarth) +53:00
4th - Andrew Cowan, Johnstone Syer (Mercedes-Benz 280 E W123) +1:09:00
5th - Rauno Aaltonen, Lofty Drews (Datsun 160J) +1:39:00


Songs used:
The Bulaway Church Choir - Limpopo River Song
James Newton Howard - Archer & Solomon Hike
James Newton Howard - Solomon Finds Family
James Newton Howard - Your Mother Loves You
Hans Zimmer - The Journey, Kopano part III
James Newton Howard - Thought I'd Never Call?

Footage credit:
LIGNESauto
asuven 2000
日産自動車株式会社
AP Archive