Kenyan driver Hamza Anwar among junior stars to debut Fiesta Rally3 Evo in Italy

MOTORSPORTS Kenyan driver Hamza Anwar among junior stars to debut Fiesta Rally3 Evo in Italy

Abigael Wafula 05:25 - 01.06.2023

The event not only hosts the series' opening gravel round but also marks the FIA WRC debut of M-Sport's recently unveiled Ford Fiesta Rally3 Evo.

The FIA Junior World Rally Championship (WRC) descends upon the seaside town of Olbia this week for Rally Italia Sardegna, and Kenya’s Hamza Anwar is one of the junior stars who will be making his debut in the rally.

The event is scheduled for Thursday 1 to Sunday 4 June and it promises to be a thriller with the quality field assembled.

Anwar will be delighted to be competing on a familiar surface since the course is not so different from the Kenyan course and he will be banking on that to upset his competitors. 

The youngster opened his season with a fifth-place finish at the Junior WRC in Sweden before finishing fourth in the Junior WRC category in Croatia.

He then came back to the country for the Kenya National Rally Championship (KNRC) in Nakuru where he finished second behind Jasmeet Chana. Anwar has also been confirmed for the WRC Safari Rally where he will be racing in the Junior category.

Others confirmed in the Junior category include William Creighton who will start the rally carrying a 21-point advantage over French rival Laurent Pellier despite crashing last time out in Croatia.

The Irishman, who is co-driven by Liam Regan, believes a "clever" approach will be integral to success on the rock-strewn gravel roads.

“The stages are going to be rough by the time we get there and it's going to be warm,” he explained. “So it's hard to know what to do. I think we're going to have to play it smart when we can and try to stay out of trouble.”

Diego Dominguez is the only FIA Junior WRC entrant with previous knowledge of the roads. Having retired from the WRC3 category lead on the final day in 2022, the Paraguayan youngster is determined to make a triumphant comeback.

Tom Rensonnet and Roberto Blach will be eager to build on their Rally Croatia podiums, as well as Eamonn Kelly, who poached his maiden victory in the closing stages of the asphalt fixture. Raúl Hernández will also be in the mix.

The event not only hosts the series' opening gravel round but also marks the FIA WRC debut of M-Sport's recently unveiled Ford Fiesta Rally3 Evo. 

All eight Junior WRC crews will get their first taste of the upgraded car, which has received several tweaks including a new-look front bumper, a new rear wing plus updated suspension damper specification.

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