Page 31 - EASCR22

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Unusual Cars - the Renault 4
U
nusual Car
T he Safari Classic Rally, in all of its' guises, has
attracted some fairly unusual car models over the
years… who remembers the gorgeous Corvette
Stingray from 2013 or the monstrous Mustang that
won the event outright in 2009?
The manufacturer Renault has also had sporadic
appearances on the Safari Rally – back in 1968 the
famous Pat Moss (sister to Stirling and wife to Erik
Carlsson) took to the start in a Renault 16, recording a
DNF through “accident”. However two entries on the
2022 entries list are probably amongst the most
unusual of them all.
An intriguing pedigree
A pair of Renault 4's are coming to Kenya in the hands
of two adventurous Portuguese drivers. Boasting a
“massive” 39 horsepower, this car is, surprisingly, not
the most underpowered car in the history of the event
– that was the 2015 entry of
the Trabant which had a
generous 29bhp! The Renault
4GL was first introduced to the
world in 1961 and amazingly
stayed in production all the
way up until 1994! Its'
motorsport pedigree is
intriguing, with a third overall
finish on the 1980 Paris-Dakar!
Sporadic entries into a variety
of WRC rounds did not give it
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enault 4
quite the same results as its
illustrious Group B brother, the fire-
breathing R5 turbo. The R4, does
however, have quite a cult following,
with an annual pilgrimage/ charity
rally to Morocco that began in 1997
for students from around the world.
The 4L Trophy has raised an
enormous amount of funds for
school children in Morocco since its
inception in 1997 and the 2019
edition saw 1100 (yes eleven
hundred) teams take to the start!
The Drivers
Antonio Pinto Dos Santos will be
navigated by Nuno Rodrigues da
Silva, and has been rallying the Renault 4 in Portugal
for quite a few years now, with his first result in the car
appearing back in 1992! Antonio then switched to a
Fiat Cinquecento for a few years before dusting off the
old Renault again in 1997. Since then the driver/ car
combination have taken class podiums in Portugal,
Greece, Finland, Corsica and even Sweden! As
“preparation” for his debut on the East African Safari
Classic Rally Antonio won his class on the Rallye Des
Camelias in both 2019 and in 2021.
All ‘rounder
Pedros Matos Chaves, navigated by Marco Barbosa,
will celebrate his 65th birthday just a handful of days
after the 10th edition of the East African Safari Classic
Rally. This is a man who lives and breathes motorsport.
He has competed in everything from Formula One to
Le Mans and IndyLights. Pedros is also a multiple
Portuguese Rally Champion,
winning the title in 1999 and
2000 at the wheel of a Toyota
Corolla WRC. As well as taking
on the Worlds’ Toughest Classic
Rally Pedros also manages the
motorsport career of his son.
2022 will be not only his first
attempt at this iconic rally but
indeed his first ever visit to
Kenya – Karibu Pedros!