Three Lions (Motif for English National Identity) Safari Rally (The Hare Race)

Started initially as the Coronation rally in 1953, the Safari Rally was initiated whilst Queen Elizabeth was on her honeymoon in Kenya. It was later known as the East African Rally, Malboro Rally,KCB Rally, and today's WRC Safari Rally. It has now evolved to be the biggest motoring event in the African continent, eclipsing the Dakar rally. After three decades, it was moved out of the continent in 2008 due to terror threats in Mauritania. Another is the South African Grand Prix, which was part of Formula One Circuit until 1993 when it was discontinued due to financial problems. Sadly there are just over 500 registered rally drivers in the East African region. A sport that is loved by many has very few participants. 

Initially, the 3200 kilometers safari took five days from May 27th to June 1st, 1953, from Nairobi to Morogoro in Tanzania and back to Nairobi. The second leg took the drivers to Kampala (Uganda) and back to Nairobi through dusty roads and paths that no routes existed. Rules were simple, get a document signed by the majors in Dar and Kampala in the shortest time possible, and you would be declared the winner. Clearly, the event organizers were not worried about fax machines, GPS or accompanying teams. 

The WRC Safari rally this year did not disappoint despite coming after a 19-year-old hiatus. It was held in a 48,000-acre—Soysambu Conservancy against a backdrop of giraffes, lions, elephants and leopards. The eventual winner was Sebastien Ogier, a pre-event favourite. Covering an overall distance of 1,113 km and a travel distance of 813 km, he and his team emerged winners riding on the Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT. Local heroes Onkar Rai and Drew Sturrock were winners in the WRC Category 3. Kudos. 

A Rhino (The tortoise race)

In the hare and tortoise tale, an enduring theme is that "The race is not for the swift but for those who endure it". A rhino charge is an annual event held in remote and wild areas in Kenya. It is an Off-road 4x4 competition in Kenya that seeks to conserve and protect Kenyan Mountain Range Eco-systems (Water Towers). Today, the Rhino Ark Charitable Trust has raised over USD 16 million for erecting a fence that is 650 km long, and this has reduced the human-wildlife conflict. Funds have also been channelled into protecting the endangered Rhino. 

Termed as an endurance race, the entrants must visit several guard posts, while travelling the shortest possible route across a merciless, trackless and often rocky terrain. As if not enough, speed is penalized. Restricted to 65 entrants, the 4x4 drivers have to cover a distance of approximately 100 km in 10 hours (Max) by ensuring that every guard post is visited. The winner is the entrant who visits all the GPS posts provided in the shortest distance possible. Only 65 entrants are allowed. It is my all-time favourite motorsport—a real test of man and machine versus nature.

The Rhino charge route remains a secret until the day of the event to prevent competitors from looking up the route on GPS ahead of time. It is the ultimate test of bravery and level of skill in off-road driving and navigation. A little like the driving through the sand dunes in Dubai laced with the wild thrill of the unknown. 

Manoj Shah (A roaring Lion par excellence)

A philanthropically endowed racer who has used over USD 10 million of his money in enriching and transforming the lives of others, Dr Manoj Shah is both an enigma and adorably approachable. A man of different hats, Dr Shah is, among other things. He is the Group Managing Director of the Kingsway Group of Chairman of Kingsway group of companies (Which includes Kingsway Tyres Ltd). Shah is also Governing council member of the Automobile Association of Kenya, Former president of the Kenya Motor Sports Club and An Ambassador of Goodwill awarded by the Lions  Club International.

From the tender age of 16, Manoj has always been crazy for cars and took a keen interest in major sports, locally and internationally. Manoj had been about speed – blistering, binding and badass speed. His mantra – 'Damn the torpedos, full speed ahead.'

He started with a borrowed Peugeot 504, to self-owned Datsun 120J, Datsun 710, Nissan PA 10, and eventually retiring with a Nissan 240RS in 1985 after his father's-Ramnilalji- death. In his early days, he took various defensive and motorsports driving lessons to develop his competitive and navigation skills. He later joined the Kenya Motor Sport Council. During his Safari Rally travails, young Manoj had to face several accidents, two rollovers and a head-on collision with an Antelope, almost drowning whilst crossing a seasonal river and facing a breakdown in a jungle among elephants. 

After retiring from Rally Driving, Dr Manoj continued his support for the sport by ensuring Kingsway Tyres Ltd sponsored the motorsport by sponsoring teams, supplying Michelin and BF Goodrich tyres, and offering tyre preventive and maintenance services.

In his recently published Autobiography (One in Million) he shares with me the following Motorsports gems in an interview:

"In racing, it is believed that you go where eyes go. The driver who cannot tear his eyes away from the wall as he spins out of control will hit the wall. The driver who looks down on the track as he feels the tyres break free will regain control of the vehicle". 

"I have come to believe that if we hope to build a better world, we must be guided by the universal human values that emphasize the kinship of human race – the sanctity of human life and freedom, peace between nations, honesty and truthfulness, regard for rights of others and love for one fellows". 

In Ernest Hemmingways words "Auto-racing, bulling fighting and mountain climbing are the only real sports…..all others are games". 

Dr Manoj believes that the future of Motor sports in Africa will be improve with better roads, safer drivers , better highway signage, and training. Today he remarks worse than the wild animals , boda boda (Motor cycle ) operators pose a bigger threat to motorists. (TT)

Apollo Tyres Ltd has secured a one-season shirt-sleeve sponsorship agreement with AS Monaco, one of French football's most successful clubs, to increase awareness for its premium Vredestein brand.

This partnership will leverage Ligue 1's ranking as the fifth most watched football league in the world to raise awareness of Vredestein's award-winning products among a large audience in France and abroad. On November 22, AS Monaco's home league game against Brest will have the new sleeve branding for the first time. The Vredestein brand will be heavily promoted at Stade Louis-II for the 2024–2025 season, including on player sleeves and LED screens around the field. Exclusive social media initiatives will further help make the brand prominent, reaching a large and interested audience.

Yves Pouliquen, Vice President – Commercial, Europe, Apollo Tyres, said, “This partnership is an exciting opportunity to strengthen Vredestein’s presence in one of our key markets. AS Monaco’s rich history and commitment to excellence mirror our focus on performance and innovation. We look forward to building a successful relationship with the club and celebrating its achievements this season.”

Thibaut Chatelard, Marketing and Revenue Director, AS Monaco, said: “We are delighted to welcome Apollo Tyres and its Vredestein brand to the family of AS Monaco partners. This collaboration makes sense in view of the values we share, such as the constant pursuit of performance and excellence. There’s no doubt that this new support will be precious for the rest of our season, which promises to be thrilling.”

Nexen Tire, a leading global tyre manufacturer, has launched the Nexen N´Blue S tyre, adding to its range of summer tyres and providing drivers with advanced safety, energy efficiency and superior driving stability in wet and dry conditions.

Developed using highly dispersed silica and equipped with an optimised structural design, the Nexen N´Blue S tyre provides reduced road noise and improved driving stability. The tyre features an innovative tread compound, formulated with hydrophilic fillers and microstructure-controlled polymers, and provides lower rolling resistance and exceptional dry and wet grip. The tyre also excelled in test results by demonstrating an 11 percent improvement in wet braking distance compared to its predecessor.

Apart from providing excellent performance, the Nexen  N´Blue S also scores high on the sustainability index. The tyre provides an eco-friendly solution for environmentally conscious drivers by minimising fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. The Nexen N´Blue S summer tyre is available in 58 sizes, which makes it compatible with different types of vehicles.

Kumho Tire Vietnam Co., Ltd. is all set to expand its investment project in Binh Duong province of Vietnam, with the phase 3 of expansion commencing in early 2025. This was discussed at a recent meeting between Vo Van Minh, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee (PPC), and Kim Hyun Ho, General Director of Kumho Tire Vietnam Co., Ltd.

The meeting was held on 13 November at the Administrative Centre of Binh Duong province, as per an official statement. Apart from the company’s investment till date and the planned investment for phase 3, the two also discussed about the challenges and obstacles regarding procedures and processes to have more land funds to expand the manufacturing plant, along with taking measures to tackle the obstacles. Kim Hyun Ho also conveyed to the PPC Chairman that Kumho Tire Vietnam Co., Ltd. belongs to South Korea's Kumho Tire Group and is currently ranked 10th in the car tyre manufacturing industry.

The company had invested in a tyre manufacturing plant in My Phuoc 3 Industrial Park in 2007 with a total initial investment of USD 308 million, which was supplemented by another USD 300 million in 2021. This extended the factory scale to six hectares and increased the production capacity to 12.5 million tyres annually. With the expansion in early 2025, the company will raise its total investment to USD 908 million and increase the factory's production capacity to 17 million tyres annually. The expanded capacity is expected to be operational by early 2026.

Yokohama-ATG, a leading manufacturer of all-terrain and off-the-road tyres, has expanded its Galaxy MFS 101 SDS range of forklift tyres with the launch of white, non-marking tyres.

The Galaxy MFS 101 SDS range consists of puncture-proof SDS tyres with extended wear limits designed for high-intensity working shifts and long durability. These are premium, solid rubber tyres developed for tough demands, a long service life and high driving comfort. The addition of white, non-marking tyres is specifically aimed at clean working environments.

Marked by a 3-stage construction process, the forklift tyres feature reduced heat build-up, effective shock absorption and minimised vibrations. The pattern design guarantees a smooth ride and good steerability thanks to its continuous centre lug and circumferential grooves. Furthermore, the flat walls and wide flat profile offer excellent stability when using a forklift for vertical stacking. The tyres are also equipped with anti-slip steel beads for improved rim fitment

In a case study on a CAT 2.5-tonne forklift that was used for handling heavy pallets on asphalt, the Galaxy MFS 101 SDS outshone the competitors with impressive performance. The tyre delivered an approximate 900 working hours before replacement against competitors’ 500 working hours.