By FP Reporter in Dar-es-salaam

Senior rally officials expect a mouth watering and rigorous 2009 Pirelli Young Star Driver Championship this season as the event starts with the Tanzania Rally this morning.

Having achieved a great spectator and media interest from the success of the inaugural series last year, the 2009 Pirelli Championship is expected to have a greater impact as it has attracted a large number of drivers from the region.

Kenya’s Peter Horsey remains a front-runner in this year’s series after failing to win the title last year. The Mombasa-based driver will have to be wary of the rivalry generated by the success of the championship.

Tanzania’s Hanns Navraj could be Horsey’s biggest challenge, having acquired the winning 2008 African Rally Championship rally car from Hidieki Miyoshi of Japan.

South African Lady driver Lola Verlaque inside the cockpit of her VW Golf before the 2009 Pirelli Young Star Driver Championship in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Photo: Romana/Standard

‘’I have to either win or finish second to make sure the pressure does not catch up with me in the Safari Rally. I want to go to Kigali for the title,’’ said Navraj.

Though the major battle seems to be restricted to drivers mainly from

Tanzania and Kenya, there are minors from Uganda and Madagascar who are also expected to spice up the tournament. Mathieu Adrianjaly of Madagascar is in Tanzania while Uganda was due to nominate its driver.

Apart from Horsey, Kenya is represented by his other brother Alex, Izar Mirja and Randeep Lochab. Hanns is supported by compatriots Saheer Ahmed and Randeep Birdi.

As an incentive, each of the drivers will receive Sh68,600 from the Pirelli kit as an appearance fee, while the overall winner from the final rally in Rwanda is set to receive Sh343,000 in addition to a ‘works’ drive in six rounds of the 2010 World Rally Championship.

Head-to-head

Horsey’s biggest priority is to finish in the top-two of the Pirelli category. Failing to achieve this, the pressure will be immense on him as Safari Rally will be his last option to qualify for the finals in Kigali.

Unlike the previous event where the overall classification was based on points scored from the six rounds of the series and the driver with the highest points declared the winner, this year’s championship is restricted to two regions each with two rallies.

One has to nominate rallies from either the Southern (Zimbabwe/Zambia) or Northern Region (Tanzania/Kenya) before the start of the championship in order to book a place for the final head-to-head battle in Rwanda before the eventual winner of the 2009 Pirelli Trophy is declared. Top-two class finishers from each of the four events will be entitled to move to Kigali for the final championship.

Jon Williams of South Africa won the first edition in a Volkswagen Polo ST200. His reward is to drive in six rounds of the 2009 World Rally Championship in a Mitsubishi Lancer prepared by Ralliart Italy.

Former Safari ally winning navigator, George Mwangi will part homeboy Anwar Pandya in a Subaru Impreza. It has attracted 24 entries.