GWENT co-driver Nicky Grist (pictured) has gone from world championship outsider to title contender in the space of just two rallies after another clinical success in Kenya, writes Noel Davies.

The Abergavenny-based navigator believes this could be the year he and Scottish driver Colin McRae cement their names in history as the greatest rallying duo to grace the sport.

"Our hopes are back. We were scoring consistently at the start of the season, but just one or two points. Now we have two wins behind us and are back in the hunt," declared Grist.

The ice-cool Welshman and his partner powered to a second win of the season following success in Greece last month, making McRae the sport's most successful driver with 25 world championship wins to his name.

"The event went exactly as planned. We picked a pace and stuck at it and the team as a whole is extremely happy," said Grist.

This was probably the Ford pair's most accomplished drive together as they made light work of Africa's blistering roads, winning with nearly three minutes to spare.

The Celtic aces will now be looking to melt the snow of Finland, where the teams head to next.

"A lot of people have said this was our best rally. It was certainly our best Safari. There's definite confidence ahead of Finland," added Grist.

"Obviously the likes of Marcus (Gronholm) and Tomi (Makinen) will be at the front. You can't regard us as favourites. But we've had our best testing to date with the car. This is the best the Focus has ever been and we have our best ever chance of success."

On the home scene, Raglan's Robert Davies was 13th in the Jim Clark Memorial Junior Rally.