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Former world rally champion and reigning Safari Classic Rally winner, Stig Blomqvist, will return to Africa with Tuthill Porsche to defend his Safari crown in 2017. Starting in Mombasa, Kenya on November 23rd, Blomqvist will tackle the ten-day Safari Classic Rally on a new route covering thousands of kilometres in a classic Tuthill Porsche 911 Safari car, built to the same specification as the one in which he claimed victory on the most recent event in 2015.
“It is always a proud moment when a former world champion endorses our team to supply a potential rally-winning car,” said team principal, Richard Tuthill. “East Africa remains an amazing place to compete and Safari still delivers the most challenging historic motorsport on offer. Nothing tests man or machine like this ten-day rally through the African bush. A hugely important factor is the enormously sociable atmosphere across the event. We adore this place and the people, and always want to do well in what has become our home away from home.”
Blomqvist echoes the sentiment, adding: “I had thought that my first Safari win in 2015 would satisfy my hunger for historic rallying at the top level, but that is not how things have turned out. Classic Safari is still the best event of this kind and finally winning the rally has given me a new energy to keep going flat out. As long as I feel like that, why would I stop?”
Stig’s co-driver is to be confirmed, but WRC stalwart and Blomqvist’s partner in 2015, Stéphane Prévot, is top of the wish list. “Stig and Stephane instantly clicked on the last Safari Classic,” notes Richard. “Their combined experience is pretty unique and, when added to their love of the Safari Rally, it’s potentially unbeatable. It would be wonderful to reunite that partnership for this year’s event.”
