Pierre-Louis Loubet, a 26-year-old rally driver, on Thursday, June 22, recounted his experience giving President William an exhilarating Safari Rally drive.
After flagging off the seventh leg of the 2023 World Rally Circuit (WRC), Ruto donned official rally gear and joined the driver for an inaugural drive.
According to Loubet, he felt comfortable cruising off at high speed after igniting the car when he received strict instructions from President Ruto's security team asking him not to exceed 50 kilometres per hour.
With a sense of responsibility, the 26-year-old driver defied the commands and instead gave the Head of State a thrilling experience.
"It was a very nice moment. It was not stressful at the beginning, then I was told to drive 50 kilometers per hour and I felt a sense of responsibility while I drove the President," he explained.
The 2019 World Rally Championship (WRC) 2 champion added that the President appreciated him despite an adrenaline-filled ride.
"What an honour it was to be able to show the Puma Hybrid Rally to William Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya, during a run at the Shakedown this morning," the driver stated.
Loubet vowed to capitalise on the experience to win the seventh rally circuit in Naivasha. The French driver noted that he had sharpened his skills by watching videos and participating in other racing series.
On Wednesday, Ruto lauded the driver telling other rally enthusiasts that it was an unforgettable experience.
"It was a wonderful experience. It is great, really, and absolute madness but it is an experience you cannot forget. You can hardly see the road and the bents. They (rally drivers) are real professionals,” Ruto stated.
According to President Ruto, the event will spur tourism and even create job employment for Kenyans.
The motor racing event will run for three days till Sunday, June 25. This year's Rally covers 356.98km across 19 grueling stages.
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