# 1999 Safari Rally

The 1999 Safari Rally was a motor racing event for rally cars that was held over four days between 25 and 28 February 1999. It marked the 47th running of the Safari Rally, and was the third round of the 1999 World Rally Championship season. The 1999 event was based in the city of Nairobi in Kenya and was contested over thirteen special stages, covering a total competitive distance of 1,009.91km (627.53 miles).
Tommi Makinen was the defending rally winner, as was Team Mitsubishi Ralliart. Having won both rallies of the season so far, Makinen lead the championship with twenty points; thirteen more than closest rival Juha Kankkunen.
Colin McRae, along with co-driver Nicky Grist won the rally, their first win of the season, and first win since the 1998 Acropolis Rally, giving them their first points of the season.

## Background
### Entry List

The following crews were set to enter the rally. The event was open to crews competing in the World Rally Championship, as well as privateer entries that were not registered to score points in the manufacturer's championship. Ten were entered under Group A regulations to compete in the World Rally Championship's Manufacturers' Championship.
Group A entries competing in the World Rally Championship :
| No. | Driver | Co-Driver | Entrant | Car | Tyre |
| 1 | Tommi Makinen | Risto Mannisenmaki | Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI | M |
| 2 | Freddy Loix | Sven Smeets | Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI | M |
| 3 | Carlos Sainz Sr. | Luis Moya | Toyota Castrol Team | Toyota Corolla WRC | M |
| 4 | Didier Auriol | Denis Giraudet | Toyota Castrol Team | Toyota Corolla WRC | M |
| 5 | Richard Burns | Robert Reid | Subaru World Rally Team | Subaru Impreza S5 WRC 99 | P |
| 6 | Juha Kankkunen | Juha Repo | Subaru World Rally Team | Impreza WRC 2006 | P |
| 7 | Colin McRae | Nicky Grist | Ford Motor Co Ltd | Ford Focus WRC 99 | M |
| 8 | Petter Solberg | Fred Gallagher | Ford Motor Co Ltd | Ford Focus WRC 99 | M |
| 9 | Harri Rovanpera | Risto Pietilainen | SEAT Sport | SEAT Cordoba WRC | P |
| 10 | Piero Liatti | Carlo Cassina | SEAT Sport | SEAT Cordoba WRC | P |

### Itinerary

All dates and times are EAT (UTC+3).
| Date | No. | Time span | Stage name | Distance |
| 25 February | SS1 | 15:00 | Cheetah Anza - Isha 1 | 2.42 km |
| 25 February | | 15:05 | Service A, Jamhuri Park | — |
| 26 February | | 9:55 | Service B, Plains Park | — |
| 26 February | SS2 | 10:25 | Isinya - Orien 1 | 112.40 km |
| 26 February | | 11:25 | Service C, Plains Park | — |
| 26 February | SS3 | 12:11 | Olooloitikosh - Kajiado 1 | 49.06 km |
| 26 February | | 12:38 | Service D, Plains Park | — |
| 26 February | SS4 | 14:07 | Hunters Lookout - Timbuctoo | 72.56 km |
| 26 February | | 14:53 | Service E, Plains Park | — |
| 26 February | SS5 | 16:00 | Lenkili - Il Bisel 1 | 113.41 km |
| 26 February | | 17:15 | Service F, Plains Park | — |
| 27 February | | 6:40 | Service G, Equator Park | — |
| 27 February | SS6 | 7:33 | Elmenteita - Olenguruone | 89.13 km |
| 27 February | | 9:10 | Service H, Equator Park | — |
| 27 February | SS7 | 10:35 | Nyaru - Eldama Ravine | 87.59 km |
| 27 February | | 12:10 | Service I, Equator Park | — |
| 27 February | SS8 | 13:42 | Morendat - Mbaruk | 81.40 km |
| 27 February | | 14:50 | Service J, Equator Park | — |
| 27 February | SS9 | 15:59 | Marigat - Gari Ya Moshi | 124.65 km |
| 27 February | | 17:00 | Service K, Equator Park | — |
| 28 February | | 6:37 | Service L, Plains Park | — |
| 28 February | SS10 | 7:33 | Lenkili - Il Bisel 2 | 113.41 km |
| 28 February | | 8:46 | Service M, Plains Park | — |
| 28 February | SS11 | 9:26 | Isinya - Orien 2 | 112.40 km |
| 28 February | | 10:28 | Service N, Plains Park | — |
| 28 February | SS12 | 11:14 | Olooloitikosh - Kajiado 2 | 49.06 km |
| 28 February | | 11:41 | Service I, Plains Park | — |
| 28 February | SS13 | 14:00 | Cheetah Anza - Isha 2 | 2.42 km |

## Report
### Overall
#### Classification

| Position | No. | Driver | Co-driver | Entrant | Car | Time | Difference | Points |
| 1 | 7 | Colin McRae | Nicky Grist | Ford Motor Co Ltd | Ford Focus WRC 99 | 8:41:39 | 0.0 | 10 |
| 2 | 4 | Didier Auriol | Denis Giraudet | Toyota Castrol Team | Toyota Corolla WRC | 8:56:05 | +14:26 | 6 |
| 3 | 3 | Carlos Sainz Sr. | Luis Moya | Toyota Castrol Team | Toyota Corolla WRC | 8:59:46 | +18:07 | 4 |
| 4 | 12 | Ian Duncan | David Williamson | Toyota Kenya | Toyota Corolla WRC | 9:05:35 | +23:56 | 3 |
| 5 | 8 | Petter Solberg | Fred Gallagher | Ford Motor Co Ltd | Ford Focus WRC 99 | 9:26:28 | +44:49 | 2 |
| 6 | 9 | Harri Rovanpera | Risto Pietilainen | SEAT Sport | SEAT Cordoba WRC | 9:40:08 | +58:29 | 1 |
| 7 | 16 | Frederic Dor | Kevin Gormley | F. Dor Rally Team | Subaru Impreza S5 WRC 97 | 9:41:38 | +59:59 | 0 |
| 8 | 14 | Hamed Al-Wahaibi | Tony Sircombe | Mitsubishi Ralliart | Mitsubishi Carisma GT Evo V | 10:05:09 | +1:23:30 | 0 |
| 9 | 15 | Asensio Luis Clement | Alex Romani | Valencia Terra y Mar | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo III | 10:08:24 | +1:26:45 | 0 |
| 10 | 20 | Hideaki Miyoshi | Eido Osawa | Hideaki Miyoshi | Subaru Impreza WRX | 10:42:00 | +2:00:21 | 0 |
| 11 | 18 | Jonathan Toroitich | Mahesh Saleh | Jonathan Toroitich | Toyota Celica GT-Four | 11:21:28 | +2:39:49 | 0 |
| 12 | 17 | Manfred Stohl | Peter Muller | Manfred Stohl | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo III | 11:41:42 | +3:00:03 | 0 |
| 13 | 23 | Rob Hellier | Des Page-Morris | Rob Hellier | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo | 11:48:44 | +3:07:05 | 0 |
| 14 | 26 | John Lloyd | David Horsey | John Lloyd | Subaru Impreza WRX | 11:51:31 | +3:09:52 | 0 |
| 15 | 34 | Shahnawaz Murji | Mohammed Verjee | Shahnawaz Murji | Subaru Impreza | 12:22:27 | +3:40:48 | 0 |
| 16 | 33 | Hardeep Reshi | Kamaljeet Ubhi | Hardeep Reshi | Subaru Impreza WRX | 12:32:32 | +3:50:53 | 0 |
| 17 | 22 | Mark Tilbury | Bill Kirk | Mark Tilbury | Nissan Pulsar GTi-R | 13:19:32 | +4:37:53 | 0 |
| 18 | 24 | Phineas Kimathi | Abdul Sidi | Phineas Kimathi | Hyundai Coupe | 13:26:16 | +4:37:53 | 0 |
| 19 | 28 | Jimmy Wahome | Tom Muriuki | Jimmy Wahome | Subaru Impreza WRX | 13:44:26 | +5:02:47 | 0 |
| 20 | 39 | Lee Rose | Piers Daykin | Lee Rose | Subaru Impreza WRX | 13:51:22 | +5:09:43 | 0 |
| 21 | 39 | Paramjit Sehmi | Kashif Sheikh | Paramjit Sehmi | Subaru Impreza WRX | 14:18:53 | +5:37:14 | 0 |
| 22 | 21 | Jamil Khan | Surinder Thatthi | Jamil Khan | Subaru Impreza WRX | 14:23:42 | +5:42:03 | 0 |
| 23 | 41 | Stefano Rocca | Saleem Haji | Stefano Rocca | Subaru Impreza WRX | 14:45:55 | +6:04:16 | 0 |
| 24 | 43 | Shahid Essajee | Shammi Singh | Shahid Essajee | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo | 15:36:27 | +6:54:48 | 0 |
| Retired SS13 | 1 | Tommi Makinen | Risto Mannisenmaki | Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI | Excluded | Excluded | 0 |
| Retired SS13 | 30 | John Ngunjiri | Thuita Karanja | John Ngunjiri | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo | Retired | Retired | 0 |
| Retired SS11 | 10 | Piero Liatti | Carlo Cassina | SEAT Sport | SEAT Cordoba WRC | Engine | Engine | 0 |
| Retired SS9 | 35 | Michelle van Tongeren | Safina Hussein | Michelle van Tongeren | Subaru Impreza WRX | Excluded | Excluded | 0 |
| Retired SS9 | 37 | Don Smith | Simon Bates | Don Smith | Ford Escort RS Cosworth | Retired | Retired | 0 |
| Retired SS7 | 5 | Richard Burns | Robert Reid | Subaru World Rally Team | Subaru Impreza S5 WRC 99 | Suspension | Suspension | 0 |
| Retired SS7 | 25 | Rory Green | Orson Taylor | Rory Green | Subaru Impreza WRX | Retired | Retired | 0 |
| Retired SS7 | 31 | Alastair Cavenagh | Crispin Sassoon | Alastair Cavenagh | Subaru Impreza WRX | Suspension | Suspension | 0 |
| Retired SS7 | 36 | Azar Anwar | Raffiq Cassam | Azar Anwar | Hyundai Elantra | Driveshaft | Driveshaft | 0 |
| Retired SS6 | 29 | Gregory Kibiti | George Mwangi | Gregory Kibiti | Hyundai Coupe | Suspension | Suspension | 0 |
| Retired SS6 | 45 | Tinu Khan | Amaar Slatch | Tinu Khan | Subaru Legacy RS | Accident | Accident | 0 |
| Retired SS5 | 19 | Emmanuel Katto | Peter Stone | Emmanuel Katto | Subaru Impreza S5 WRC 98 | Engine | Engine | 0 |
| Retired SS5 | 50 | Brendan Fernandes | Tony Kimondo | Brendan Fernandes | Hyundai Elantra | Retired | Retired | 0 |
| Retired SS4 | 38 | Peter Karwigi | Peter Macharia | Peter Karwigi | Subaru Legacy RS | Retired | Retired | 0 |
| Retired SS3 | 2 | Freddy Loix | Sven Smeets | Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI | Accident | Accident | 0 |
| Retired SS3 | 6 | Juha Kankkunen | Juha Repo | Subaru World Rally Team | Impreza WRC 2006 | Electrical | Electrical | 0 |
| Retired SS3 | 40 | Shabir Hussein | Diamond Lalani | Shabir Hussein | Subaru Legacy RS | Retired | Retired | 0 |
| Retired SS3 | 49 | Alan Kuria | Baga Singh | Alan Kuria | Mazda 323 | Retired | Retired | 0 |
| Retired SS2 | 11 | Bruno Thiry | Stephane Prevot | Subaru World Rally Team | Subaru Impreza S5 WRC 98 | Electrical | Electrical | 0 |
| Retired SS2 | 44 | Ghalib Hajee | Sameer Nanji | Ghalib Hajee | Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD | Mechanical | Mechanical | 0 |
| Retired SS2 | 48 | Asad Khan | Adil Khan | Asad Khan | Subaru Impreza WRX | Mechanical | Mechanical | 0 |

#### Special Stages

All dates and times are EAT (UTC+3).
| Day | Stage | Time | Name | Length (km) | Winner | Time | Rally leader |
| 1 25 Feb | SS1 | 15:00 | Cheetah Anza - Isha 1 | 2.42 | Juha Kankkunen | 1:53 | Juha Kankkunen |
| 2 26 Feb | SS2 | 10:25 | Isinya - Orien 1 | 112.40 | Richard Burns | 48:25 | Richard Burns |
| 2 26 Feb | SS3 | 12:11 | Olooloitikosh - Kajiado 1 | 49.06 | Carlos Sainz | 22:38 | Carlos Sainz |
| 2 26 Feb | SS4 | 14:07 | Hunters Lookout - Timbuctoo | 72.56 | Richard Burns | 36:11 | Carlos Sainz |
| 2 26 Feb | SS5 | 16:00 | Lenkili - Il Bisel 1 | 113.41 | Tommi Makinen | 59:57 | Richard Burns |
| 3 27 Feb | SS6 | 7:33 | Elmenteita - Olenguruone | 89.13 | Richard Burns | 42:56 | Richard Burns |
| 3 27 Feb | SS7 | 10:35 | Nyaru - Eldama Ravine | 87.59 | Carlos Sainz | 56:26 | Colin McRae |
| 3 27 Feb | SS8 | 13:42 | Morendat - Mbaruk | 81.40 | Tommi Makinen | 41:03 | Colin McRae |
| 3 27 Feb | SS9 | 15:59 | Marigat - Gari Ya Moshi | 124.65 | Carlos Sainz | 1:01:03 | Colin McRae |
| 4 28 Feb | SS10 | 7:33 | Lenkili - Il Bisel 2 | 113.41 | Didier Auriol | 1:00:22 | Colin McRae |
| 4 28 Feb | SS11 | 9:26 | Isinya - Orien 2 | 112.40 | Ian Duncan | 50:22 | Colin McRae |
| 4 28 Feb | SS12 | 11:14 | Olooloitikosh - Kajiado 2 | 49.06 | Tommi Makinen | 22:59 | Colin McRae |
| 4 28 Feb | SS13 | 14:00 | Cheetah Anza - Isha 2 | 2.42 | Tommi Makinen | 1:56 | Colin McRae |

#### Championship Standings

| Pos. | Drivers' Championship | Drivers' Championship | Drivers' Championship | Manufacturers' Championship | Manufacturers' Championship | Manufacturers' Championship |
| Pos. | Move | Driver | Points | Move | Manufacturer | Points |
| 1 | | Tommi Makinen | 20 | 1 | Toyota Castrol Team | 23 |
| 2 | 1 | Didier Auriol | 13 | 1 | Marlboro Mitsubishi Ralliart | 20 |
| 3 | 1 | Carlos Sainz | 10 | 2 | Ford Motor Co Ltd | 17 |
| 4 | 6 | Colin McRae | 10 | 2 | Subaru World Rally Team | 10 |
| 5 | 3 | Juha Kankkunen | 7 | 1 | SEAT Sport | 7 |