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Safari Rally Kenya: Day 2 TOYOTA GAZOO Racing strongly through Safari’s first big tests

2023.6.23 (Fri)

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team occupies the top three positions on the leaderboard after a strong performance on the first full day of Safari Rally Kenya, with Sébastien Ogier leading team-mates Kalle Rovanperä and Elfyn Evans.

Car 17 (Sébastien Ogier, Vincent Landais)

Following Thursday’s start ceremony and a super special stage in the Kenyan capital city Nairobi, the crews faced two loops of three stages around Lake Naivasha on Friday. Ogier made a customary impressive start in the morning, winning the opening Loldia test by 7.5 seconds to claim the lead, which he stretched to 11.9s following SS3, Geothermal. Rovanperä then won the day’s longest stage, Kedong, by 8s to close to within 2.5s of Ogier at the end of the morning loop – with Ogier hampered somewhat by the loss of the hybrid boost in SS4.

In the afternoon, Ogier took only one spare tyre to save weight – the only Rally1 driver to do so – and this strategy paid off handsomely: he won all three stages and ended the day with a lead of 22.8s. Rovanperä in second position is 20.7s ahead of third-placed Evans, who in turn has 10.5s in hand over Esapekka Lappi (Hyundai).

Takamoto Katsuta made it four GR YARIS Rally1 HYBRID drivers in the top five, reaching the end of the day only 25s further back despite sustaining some damage to his car on the rough and demanding stages.

Quotes: Jari-Matti Latvala (Team Principal) “I’m very pleased with how our crews and our cars got through today. They have had good performance and not too many problems, and all the cars have been running well. This is such a hard event and patience is crucial: you don’t need to worry too much if you’re losing a few seconds here or there because this is probably not deciding the result. Seb took the decision to only take one spare tyre this afternoon and showed that if you can be a bit more careful with where you place the car, this can pay off. The first full day is done but we know that tomorrow is likely to be a tougher day for everybody with rougher stages and more stones. Normally we can expect a bit more drama tomorrow but hopefully for us, we can have a day like today and get through it cleanly once again.”

Kalle Rovanperä (Driver car 69) “I’m quite happy with today. The first stage of the loop was the trickiest for us with a lot of cleaning and loose gravel in places. Then the next stages were much faster and I felt I could push harder, and the time on the last one this morning was really good; I think we did some clever driving there. This afternoon I lost more time than I wanted on the first one: it was drying up and getting loose and my setup didn’t work so well for that. After that I tried to keep up a good pace and we didn’t lose too much time. Of course, I would like to be a bit closer to the lead, but tomorrow is still such a long day and will be much rougher than today, so we will try to stay out of trouble.”

Elfyn Evans (Driver car 33) “It’s been a bit of a steady day for us but we got through it without issues. Of course, it would have been nice to have been a bit faster and, looking back, maybe we could have taken a few more risks this morning when the conditions were not so rough. But it’s a very difficult balance to find here, with a lot of rocks beinng pulled out by the cars in front. The afternoon was generally better, but the long Kedong stage had a lot of big holes and stones and it was difficult to judge how hard to attack. There’s still a long way to go and tomorrow’s probably going to be a tough day, so let’s wait and see what happens.”

Sébastien Ogier (Driver car 17) “It’s been a pretty good day for us, almost perfect in fact. We had very good pace and I’m happy to be in the lead tonight. This morning I tried to push on the first two stages and I had good fun in the car. On the third one there’s always a bit of fear with a lot of rocks coming out of the sand, and we lost the hybrid after a few kilometres which cost some performance. This afternoon I felt it was possible to go with just one spare tyre, and that if I drive very clean and smooth I can still be fast with the advantage of being lighter. It paid off and I’m happy with that. It’s the first time I’ve got through Friday in Kenya without major time loss, so let’s hope we can carry on like this tomorrow, which is the biggest day of the rally with very difficult stages to get through.”

End of day two (Friday): 1 Sébastien Ogier/Vincent Landais (Toyota GR YARIS Rally1 HYBRID) 1h14m38.7s 2 Kalle Rovanperä/Jonne Halttunen (Toyota GR YARIS Rally1 HYBRID) +22.8s 3 Elfyn Evans/Scott Martin (Toyota GR YARIS Rally1 HYBRID) +43.5s 4 Esapekka Lappi/Janne Ferm (Hyundai i20 N Rally1 HYBRID) +54.0s 5 Takamoto Katsuta/Aaron Johnston (Toyota GR YARIS Rally1 HYBRID) +1m19.4s 6 Dani Sordo/Cándido Carrera (Hyundai i20 N Rally1 HYBRID) +1m28.4s 7 Ott Tänak/Martin Järveoja (Ford Puma Rally1 HYBRID) +3m03.3s 8 Pierre-Louis Loubet/Nicolas Gilsoul (Ford Puma Rally1 HYBRID) +7m04.9s 9 Grégoire Munster/Louis Louka (Ford Fiesta Rally2) +8m50.7s 10 Kajetan Kajetanowicz/Maciej Szczepaniak (Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo) +9m17.1s (Results as of 16:30 on Friday, for the latest results please visit www.wrc.com )

What's next? Saturday is the longest day of the rally with 150 competitive kilometres, taking crews north to Lake Elmenteita for another trio of stages that will be repeated in the afternoon following mid-day service in Naivasha. Sleeping Warrior, the last stage of the loop, is the longest of the rally and has been affected by rain in both of the previous two years.

Car 69 (Kalle Rovanperä, Jonne Halttunen)

Follow TOYOTA GAZOO Racing WRT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TOYOTAGAZOORacingWRC Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/TGR_WRC (@TGR_WRC) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tgr_wrc/ (@TGR_WRC) YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCtALHup92q5xIFb7n9UXVg

Rd.7 Safari Rally Kenya

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WRC Safari Rally Kenya

Held on the untamed terrains of Africa’s breathtaking landscapes where the weather can change in a matter of minutes. Mud, rocks, fesh-fesh sand and challenging water crossings make Safari Rally Kenya the ultimate test of endurance. | FIA World Rally Championship official website. Keep up-to-date with the latest news, rally results, WRC standings, calendar updates, video highlights and schedules from every rally. Watch the WRC live and On Demand with Rally.TV

WRC Safari Rally Kenya

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Safari Rally Kenya

Kenya

29 – 31 March 2024

Friday highlights – Kenya

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FIA World Rally Championship

The fia world rally championship puts drivers against some of the toughest conditions on the planet..

The untamed terrain of Safari Rally Kenya offers drivers the ultimate test of endurance, including mud, rocks, fesh-fesh sand and challenging water crossings.

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Ogier wins WRC Safari Rally to head Toyota’s Kenya sweep

safari rally day 2

By RACER Staff June 25, 2023 10:59 AM

By RACER Staff | June 25, 2023 10:59 AM ET

Sebastien Ogier defied teammate Kalle Rovanpera’s charge to head home a dream 1-2-3-4 finish for Toyota Gazoo Racing on a dramatic final day at WRC Safari Rally Kenya.

Ogier (above) , who’s chosen to run only a limited FIA World Rally Championship program, recorded his third victory from just five starts so far this season. But his rally very nearly unraveled in Sunday’s second special stage, Oserian 1, when a patch of Kenya’s infamous, soft and deep fesh-fesh sand sent his GR Yaris Rally1 wide on a right-hand turn.

The Frenchman, fighting hard to recover time lost to Rovanpera in the day’s rocky opener, Malewa 1, clipped a tree and ripped off his car’s entire rear tailgate. Amazingly, he still won the stage and made all the time back, then patched the gap using a trash-can liner to keep dust at bay in the following Hell’s Gate 1.

More permanent repairs in service did not conclude the drama, however, as all four Yaris crews completed the penultimate stage with dust-induced overheating engines. Ogier, one of the hardest hit, saw his lead reduced to just 9.2s before the rally-closing, bonus points-paying Wolf Power Stage finale. There, where the eight-time WRC champ’s run was again not without incident, arriving at the flying finish with a cracked windshield from a flicked-up rock.

Despite the late incident, he was able to secure the win by 6.7s and spearhead Toyota’s second clean sweep in as many Safari Rallies.

Kenya’s President, William Ruto, presented Ogier and co-driver Vincent Landais with their trophies, commemorating Ogier’s second win at the event, amid stunning scenery at Hell’s Gate.

“Unbelievable! Look at that, even on the Power Stage I got a stone on the windscreen,” said Ogier. “We had a lot of issues to face, but it couldn’t have been a more comfortable rally for us in terms of pace. A lot of misfortune but we brought it home.”  

safari rally day 2

It’s three wins from just five 2023 WRC starts for potent part-timer Sebastien Ogier. Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT photo

Finishing in second place felt like a personal victory for defending WRC champ Rovanpera, who extended his 2023 drivers’ championship lead to 37 points after round seven of 13.

“You always want to fight for the win, but we did our best starting first car on the road, so regarding that I think it’s not fully bad,” noted the 22-year-old Finn. “Good points for the season anyway.”

safari rally day 2

Second for reigning WRC champ Kalle Rovanpera delivered a decent points haul in his title defense. Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT photo

Takamoto Katsuta’s hopes of surpassing Toyota teammate Elfyn Evans and achieving a third Safari Rally podium vanished when his Yaris’s hybrid unit stopped working, sapping vital performance. The Japanese driver settled for fourth overall, 25.3s back from Evans, with Ogier and Rovanpera almost three minutes up the road from the third-placed Welshman.

Dani Sordo overcame power steering failure in his Hyundai i20 N Rally1 during Sunday’s third stage to finish an isolated fifth at the end of a testing weekend for Hyundai Motorsport, which now trails Toyota by 42 points in the WRC manufacturers’ title race.

Of the other Hyundais, early podium challenger Esapekka Lappi was way down the order after being plagued by transmission issues in his i20 N, while Thierry Neuville, recovering from suspension failure on Friday, could only roll home eighth, almost 25 minutes off the lead. The Belgian did take the five bonus points for winning the Power Stage and maintains second in the WRC standings, but closing down a 37-point deficit to Rovanpera will be a tough ask.  

safari rally day 2

Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville is playing catchup in the WRC points battle after a disappointing Safari. Jaanus Ree/Red Bull Content Pool

Tire troubles earlier in the rally prevented M-Sport Ford Puma Rally1 drivers Ott Tanak and Pierre-Louis Loubet from mounting any form of attack. They finished sixth and seventh respectively, with Tanak taking the slim consolation of second-fastest time through the Power Stage.  

In WRC2, the second tier of international rallying, Kajetan Kajetanowicz secured his second Safari Rally class win in as many years with a masterful drive in the typically challenging conditions.

The Pole cruised to Sunday afternoon’s finish in his Skoda Fabia Evo more than 11 minutes in front of nearest-placed challenger Martin Prokop, moving from ninth to fourth in the WRC2 standings as a result.  

Kajetanowicz had battled with M-Sport Ford youngster Gregoire Munster through Friday and Saturday, but found himself comfortably clear at the top when the Fiesta Mk II driver pulled over with a mechanical issue. A measured run through Sunday’s closing six special stages was all that was needed to bring home the victory and finish ninth overall.

“We did it again! It’s an amazing feeling. It seemed to be easy, but it wasn’t. Thank you to my team and Maciej — I think we did quite a good job,” said Kajetanowicz, referencing his co-driver Maciej Szczepaniak.

safari rally day 2

Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville is playing catchup in the WRC points battle after a disappointing Safari. Jaanus Ree/Red Bull Content Pool 

Completing the overall top 10, Oliver Solberg’s Skoda finished just 30.6s behind Kajetanowicz’s similar car, but with only seven rounds counting toward the WRC2 championship, the 21-year-old Swede had elected not to register for class points in Kenya.  

The FIA World Rally Championship returns to Europe next month when the super-fast gravel roads of Rally Estonia host round eight, July 20-23.

WRC Safari Rally Kenya, final positions after Day Three, SS19 1 Sebastien Ogier/Vincent Landais (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) 3h30m42.5s 2 Kalle Rovanpera/Jonne Halttunen (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) +6.7s 3 Elfyn Evans/Scott Martin (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) +2m58.5s 4 Takamoto Katsuta/Aaron Johnston (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) +3m23.8s 5 Dani Sordo/Candido Carrera (Hyundai i20 N Rally1) +5m05.4s 6 Ott Tanak/Martin Jarveoja (M-Sport Ford Puma Rally1) +9m14.4s 7 Pierre-Louis Loubet/Nicolas Gilsoul (M-Sport Ford Puma Rally1) +16m15.7s 8 Thierry Neuville/Martijn Wydaeghe (Hyundai i20 N Rally1) +24m47.0s 9 Kajetan Kajetanowicz/Maciej Szczepaniak (Skoda Fabia Evo – WRC2 winner) +26m33.4s 10 Oliver Solberg/Elliott Edmondson (Skoda Fabia Evo – RC2/non-points) +27m04.0s

WRC Drivers’ Championship after 7 rounds 1 Rovanpera 139 points 2 Neuville 102 3 Evans 98 4 Ogier 97 5 Tanak 97

WRC Manufacturers’ Championship after 7 rounds 1 Toyota Gazoo Racing 283 points 2 Hyundai Motorsport 241 3 M-Sport Ford 174    

Check out WRC.com , the official home of the FIA World Rally Championship. And for the ultimate WRC experience, sign up for a WRC+ All Live subscription to watch all stages of every rally live and on demand, whenever and wherever.

Safari Rally , WRC , Rallying

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WRC Safari Rally: Everything you need to know

The notorious safari rally kenya, renowned as one of the toughest events in motorsport, marks the halfway point in the 2023 world rally championship this weekend..

Tom Howard

Elfyn Evans, Scott Martin, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1

Toyota Racing

The rally has prided itself on being one of the WRC’s jewel in the crown events given its difficulty to win. Its unique stages feature a mix of rough gravel and soft sandy roads sprawled across Kenya’s iconic wildlife-filled savannah. amid changeable weather, poses an altogether different challenge for crews.  

Last year’s Safari winner and reigning world champion, Kalle Rovanpera heads to Kenya with a 25-point lead at the top of the standings after finishing third at rain-affected Rally Sardinia earlier this month. 

His Toyota squad emerged as the team to beat in Africa 12 months ago, after scoring a dominant 1-2-3-4, but the Japanese marque is likely to face stronger opposition this year from the rapidly improving Hyundai and M-Sport-Ford.

Eight-time world champion Sebastien Ogier, who won the 2021 Safari, will factor in Toyota’s line-up alongside Elfyn Evans , who sits fourth in the championship and two-time Safari podium finisher Takamoto Katsuta .    

Heavy rain is expected to dominate proceedings in Kenya which could cause problems for the Toyota GR Yaris which struggled to navigate water crossings in Sardinia.  

Hyundai heads to Kenya off the back of its first victory of the season following Thierry Neuville ’s triumph in Sardinia, where the Belgian headed a Hyundai 1-2 with Esapekka Lappi in second. This weekend will be Lappi’s first taste of the Safari Rally.  

Hyundai faced several reliability concerns last year but if it can replicate its form in Italy, all three i20 Ns, including veteran Dani Sordo should be in contention for victory.

Esapekka Lappi, Janne Ferm, Hyundai World Rally Team Hyundai i20 N Rally1

Esapekka Lappi, Janne Ferm, Hyundai World Rally Team Hyundai i20 N Rally1

Photo by: McKlein / Motorsport Images

M-Sport-Ford will field three Pumas in Kenya as privateer Jourdan Serderidis rejoins the WRC team for the first time since Rally Mexico in March. 

Ott Tanak is set to lead the Ford team’s charge as he looks to reel in Rovanpera in the championship standings after an electrical fault on his Puma cost him valuable points in Sardinia. 

Team-mate Pierre-Louis Loubet has starred in rough rallies previously but this weekend marks his Safari debut.       

What is Safari Rally Kenya?

The Safari Rally was first held in 1953, as the East African Coronation Safari in Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika as a celebration of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.

In 1960 it was renamed the East African Safari Rally and kept that name until 1974, when it became the Kenya Safari Rally.

Held on roads still open to the public, it became notorious as the toughest round of the WRC. Arduous conditions and constantly changing weather and more than 5000 competitive kilometres made simply finishing an achievement.

Gus Greensmith, Jonas Andersson, M-Sport Ford World Rally Team Ford Puma Rally1

Gus Greensmith, Jonas Andersson, M-Sport Ford World Rally Team Ford Puma Rally1

The event adopted a special stage format in 1996 and from then until 2002, it featured over 1000km of timed tests. The rally left the WRC in 2002 and returned in 2021 with a revised shorter format that remains one of the toughest challenges on the calendar.

Unlike other rounds on the calendar, crews are forbidden to test in the local area to prepare for the event.

Safari Rally Kenya winners 

The late Kenyan rally ace Shekhar Mehta and fellow compatriot Carl Tundo are the event’s most successful drivers, having scored five wins apiece.

Mehta scored his first in the Safari Rally’s first event on the WRC calendar in 1973 before taking four more wins from 1979-1982, while countryman Tundo's victories have come from editions held outside of the WRC schedule in 2004, 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2018.

During its run as a WRC event from 1973-2002, the 1979 world champion Bjorn Waldegard and four-time world title winner Juha Kankkunen scored four wins.

The Safari Rally was the scene of Colin McRae’s final WRC win in 2002. It was the 1995 world champion’s third Safari Rally triumph, alongside wins for Subaru in 1997 and Ford in 1999 and 2002.

PLUS: Remembering Colin McRae’s last WRC win

World champions Miki Biasion, Tommi Makinen and Richard Burns have all won the rally twice.

Sebastien Ogier, Benjamin Veillas, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1

Sebastien Ogier, Benjamin Veillas, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1

Photo by: Toyota Racing

Toyota has dominated the rally since it returned to the WRC thanks to victories for Sebastien Ogier and Kalle Rovanpera in 2021 and 2022 respectively. Last year, the marque scored a stunning 1-2-3-4. 

Safari Rally Kenya itinerary 

This year’s edition will be contested over 19 stages, comprising 355.92km across four days of competitive action.

Wednesday 21 June 

Shakedown - begins - 0801 GMT - 1001 local   

Thursday 22 June 

Stage 1 - begins - 1205 GMT - 1405 local 

Friday 23 June - (6 stages - 130.66km)

Stage 2 - Stage 7 - begins 0600 GMT - 0800 local

Saturday 24 June - (6 stages - 150.88km)

Stage 8 - Stage 13 - begins 0705 GMT - 0805 local

Sunday 25 June - (6 stages - 74.038km)

Stage 14 - Stage 19 - Final stage begins 1215 GMT - 1415 local 

Entry List Rally1 (Road Order)

The entry list features 45 crews headlined by 10 Rally1 car entries. 

#69 Kalle Rovanpera/ Jonne Halttunen - Toyota Gazoo Racing - GR Yaris Rally1 #11 Thierry Neuville/ Martijn Wydaeghe - Hyundai Motorsport - i20 N Rally1 #8 Ott Tanak/ Martin Jarveoja - M-Sport Ford World Rally Team - Puma Rally1 #33 Elfyn Evans/ Scott Martin - Toyota Gazoo Racing - GR Yaris Rally1 #17 Sebastien Ogier/ Vincent Landais   - Toyota Gazoo Racing - GR Yaris Rally1 #4 Esapekka Lappi/ Janne Ferm - Hyundai Motorsport - i20 N Rally1 #6 Dani Sordo/Candido Carrera - Hyundai Motorsport - i20 N Rally1 #18 Takamoto Katsuta/ Aaron Johnston - Toyota Gazoo Racing - GR Yaris Rally1 #7 Pierre-Louis Loubet/ Nicolas Gilsoul - M-Sport Ford World Rally Team - Puma Rally1 #9 Jourdan Serderidis/Andy Malfoy - M-Sport Ford World Rally Team - Puma Rally1

The WRC2 field features 13 entries headlined by Oliver Solberg although the Swede is not competing for championship points. Last year’s WRC2 runner-up Kajetan Kajetanowicz makes his third start of the season after finishing third in Sardinia earlier this month. 

Oliver Solberg, Elliott Edmondson, Skoda Fabia Evo Rally2

Oliver Solberg, Elliott Edmondson, Skoda Fabia Evo Rally2

M-Sport’s Gregoire Munster will represent the British squad, while the legendary Kenyan Tundo is likely to be in the fight as he prepares to pilot a Skoda Fabia. 

A total of 22 Kenyans will tackle their home round of the WRC, including WRC3 regular Hamza Anwar. 

How have the Rally1 cars changed for 2023

WRC teams have spent the off-season refining Rally1 machines ahead of a second season under the new hybrid rules.

Reigning champions Toyota have not stood still. The pronounced air boxes that adorned the flanks of the car to cool the hybrid unit have been replaced with a much smoother more aerodynamic design, as it was found the 2022 design overestimated the amount of cooling required for the hybrid unit This has resulted in a re-design of the rear fenders and arches. The rear wing has also been tweaked to compensate for the new aero package.

In addition to the aero changes, Toyota has elected to upgrade its 1.6-litre engine to improve the delivery of power and its torque.

Hyundai has also revealed noticeable changes to its aero on its i20 N. The 2023 car features updated bodywork to the front and rear of the car. The bonnet has been flattened and extended while the front arches have also been modified. The team has also opted for a heavily revised rear wing and wing mirrors.

The new look extended front end has turned the nose of the car into effectively an extra splitter. At the rear, a new rear wing has been designed with last year’s central wing and end plate option transformed into one continuous wing covering the maximum width of the car.

Ott Tänak, Martin Järveoja, M-Sport Ford World Rally Team Ford Puma Rally1

Ott Tänak, Martin Järveoja, M-Sport Ford World Rally Team Ford Puma Rally1

Meanwhile, M-Sport has unveiled a bold new look for its Puma Rally1 with an electric blue and pink livery, replacing its popular purple colours from last season. While the car looks similar to its 2022 model, the team plans to continue its development during the season.    

How does the Rally1 hybrid system work?

Drivers will have the use of hybrid power during every stage, with power boosts activated by the throttle pedal, while further boosts will be unlocked through energy regeneration under braking during stages.

Pilots will be required to regenerate 30 kilojoules of energy before another boost is granted that will be used the next time they touch the throttle pedal.

The extra 130 horsepower is delivered through the use of three bespoke homologated engine maps selected by teams, depending on the type of stage and conditions.

Determined by the FIA and event organisers, drivers will be required to navigate parts of road sections and around event service parks in full electric mode.

In full-electric mode, the car has a range of 20km, while its 3.9KWH battery, operating up to 750 volts, can be plugged in and recharged in the service park within 30 minutes. The hybrid unit can withstand an impact of 70G.

The cars are powered by a 100% sustainable fuel.

Elfyn Evans, Scott Martin, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1

Testing reduction and other rule changes 

The sporting regulations have undergone a refresh with arguably the biggest change being a reduction in testing. 

WRC teams will only be permitted 21 test days (seven per driver) instead of the allotted 28 as per last season in bid to reduced costs and improve sustainability. Last year each manufacturer driver would complete a pre-event test day prior to all European rounds.

The move has prompted mixed views among teams and drivers.

Also new for this year, Rally1 drivers will be restricted to using a total of 28 tyres during an event. They will also be no longer handed an extra four tyres for use in shakedown. 

In Gravel rallies only, organisers have removed the 15 minutes service normally held before the start of each day. 

“By removing the morning service on gravel events and trimming the flexi-service window for P1 cars, we can reduce the working day by up to three hours, which will benefit team members but also the many volunteer officials, including scrutineers and service park marshals,” explained FIA rally director Andrew Wheatley.

How to follow WRC in 2023

Autosport will provide reports, interviews and reaction.

Motorsport.tv  will also have regular highlights both during and after each WRC round in 2023.

Pay television

WRC Plus All Live will provide live coverage from every stage.

BT Sport will provide daily highlights shows from every event this season.

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safari rally day 2

Neuville clarifies WRC future amid anger over FIA technical reforms

Fourmaux: Adjusting to hybrid-less WRC cars will be a “challenge”

Fourmaux: Adjusting to hybrid-less WRC cars will be a “challenge”

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How a new 'old' challenge is capturing the spirit of British rallying lore

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Evans 'needs a good result soon' to reignite Formula E title bid

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How drivers need to multi-task in the high-tech world of modern endurance racing

Dennis: Andretti has "got to the bottom" of Formula E issues

Dennis: Andretti has "got to the bottom" of Formula E issues

Sebring 12 Hours: Derani claims pole to lead 1-2 for Cadillac

Sebring 12 Hours: Derani claims pole to lead 1-2 for Cadillac

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The new WRC highs Neuville reached to defeat Monte master Ogier

How Hyundai is shaping up to dethrone Toyota as WRC's conqueror

How Hyundai is shaping up to dethrone Toyota as WRC's conqueror

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Wrc safari rally: rovanpera wins as toyota scores 1-2-3-4, kalle rovanpera enhanced his world rally championship title credentials with victory at a gruelling safari rally kenya, as toyota locked out the top four positions..

Tom Howard

Watch: Safari Rally Kenya Sunday Afternoon Highlights

Rovanpera once again proved the class of the field as the 21-year-old completed 19 brutal gravel stages (363.44km) to take his fourth win from six events this year.

Despite opening the roads, the Finn led home Elfyn Evans by 52.8s with teammates Takamoto Katsuta third (1m42.7s) and eight-time world champion Sebastien Ogier fourth (2m10.3s) to score Toyota’s first 1-2-3-4 in WRC since the 1993 Safari Rally, won by Juha Kankkunen.   

Only six of 12 WRC Rally1 cars completed the full rally distance in what proved to be the toughest event of the season by far. 

Rovanpera’s only blemish arrived on the Thursday’s opening Super Special stage in Nairobi when he almost rolled his GR Yaris, picking up a puncture in the process. 

On Friday he fared admirably opening the roads as Kenya’s deep fesh-fesh sand wrecked havoc with WRC crews, ending the day with a 14.6s lead over Elfyn Evans.

Evans emerged as a genuine rally contender on Saturday as he closed to within 15s of leader Rovanpera, before the latter produced a masterclass when torrential rain transformed the dry gravel and sand into a mud bath.

While Evans was hampered by a windscreen washer issue that severely limited visibility, Rovanpera was able to end Saturday with a 40.3s lead. From there, Rovanpera had control of the rally and was able to back off to preserve his GR Yaris to move into a 65-point championship lead.

Evans, likewise, elected to back off on Sunday given the nature of the car-breaking stages to secure his second podium of the campaign.

Katsuta produced a solid drive throughout but it was far from a trouble-free run after briefly losing a provisional podium spot in the rain on Saturday afternoon. However, the Japanese driver was able recover the position when Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville flooded his engine before crashing into a tree.

The result was Katsuta’s first podium since finishing second at the event last year.

Ogier was left to settle for fourth after emerging as the early rally leader following’s Thursday’s opener and continued to lead until Stage 3 when his GR Yaris suffered a power loss from dust in the airbox. 

However, the Frenchman was dealt a critical blow when he suffered a puncture on Friday’s last stage, costing him two minutes which he was unable to recover.

Thierry Neuville, Martijn Wydaeghe, Hyundai World Rally Team Hyundai i20 N Rally1

Thierry Neuville, Martijn Wydaeghe, Hyundai World Rally Team Hyundai i20 N Rally1

Photo by: McKlein / Motorsport Images

Despite retiring on Saturday, Neuville headed a nightmare event for Hyundai in fifth position, some 10m40.9s adrift of leader after suffering a series of mechanical issues. The Belgian did end the rally by taking the five bonus points for winning the power stages.

Craig Breen led a desperately difficult event for M-Sport which was forced to retire all four works entries at some point during the event due to combination of crashes and mechanical issues.

Breen managed to recover from broken steering arm that prompted his retirement on Friday to claim sixth ahead of M-Sport gentlemen driver Jourdan Serderidis. 

Nine-time world champion Sebastien Loeb, starting the event for the first time in 20 years, ended up eighth after his victory hopes were ended by an engine fire on Friday.  

The top 10 was rounded by WRC2 runner Kajetan Kajetanowicz, ahead of Hyundai’s Oliver Solberg, who managed to nurse a wounded Hyundai home. Teammate and Sardinia winner Ott Tanak ran as high as fourth before a transmission issue on Saturday and a power steering failure forced him out of the rally. 

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safari rally day 2

Neuville clarifies WRC future amid anger over FIA technical reforms

Toyota: More details needed for WRC Rally2 upgrade kit decision

Toyota: More details needed for WRC Rally2 upgrade kit decision

How a new 'old' challenge is capturing the spirit of British rallying lore

How a new 'old' challenge is capturing the spirit of British rallying lore

Kalle Rovanperä

Rovanpera explains crash from WRC Rally Sweden lead

WRC Sweden: Rovanpera sets the pace on championship return

WRC Sweden: Rovanpera sets the pace on championship return

How Rovanpera underlined his superiority in winning his second WRC title

How Rovanpera underlined his superiority in winning his second WRC title

Vasselon's departure as Toyota technical director was brought forward

Vasselon's departure as Toyota technical director was brought forward

WRC Sweden test delivers "good steps" forward for Evans

WRC Sweden test delivers "good steps" forward for Evans

The ultimate rally car project the WRC is glad COVID killed

The ultimate rally car project the WRC is glad COVID killed

Latest news

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Evans 'needs a good result soon' to reignite Formula E title bid

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Dennis: Andretti has "got to the bottom" of Formula E issues

How drivers need to multi-task in the high-tech world of modern endurance racing

How drivers need to multi-task in the high-tech world of modern endurance racing

Sebring 12h: Derani claims pole to lead 1-2 for Cadillac

Sebring 12h: Derani claims pole to lead 1-2 for Cadillac

How a new 'old' challenge is capturing the spirit of British rallying lore

How Lappi survived Swedish snow carnage to snap his lengthy WRC drought

The new WRC highs Neuville reached to defeat Monte master Ogier

The new WRC highs Neuville reached to defeat Monte master Ogier

How Hyundai is shaping up to dethrone Toyota as WRC's conqueror

How Hyundai is shaping up to dethrone Toyota as WRC's conqueror

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WRC - Ogier survives Rovanperä’s challenge to Safary Rally Kenya's crown

2023 Safari Rally Kenya - Sunday report

  • World Rally Championship
  • SEASON 2023
  • Safari Rally Kenya

safari rally day 2

Sébastien Ogier defied team-mate Kalle Rovanperä’s charge to head home a dream 1-2-3-4 finish for Toyota Gazoo Racing on a spectacular final day at Safari Rally Kenya.

Ogier recorded his third victory from just five starts so far this season but his rally very nearly unravelled in Sunday’s second special stage when a patch of Kenya’s infamous fesh-fesh sand sent his GR Yaris car wide on a right-hand bend.

The Frenchman, fighting hard to recover time lost to Rovanperä in the rocky opener, clipped a tree and ripped off his car’s entire rear tailgate. Amazingly winning the stage and making all the time back, he then patched the gap using a bin liner to keep dust at bay in Hell’s Gate 1.

More permanent repairs in service did not extinguish the drama, however, as all four Yaris crews completed the penultimate blast with dust-induced overheating engines. Ogier, one of the hardest hit, saw his lead whittled down to just 9.2sec before the Wolf Power Stage finale, where the eight-time world champion's run was again far from clean, arriving at the flying finish with a cracked windscreen.

Despite the late scare, he was able to triumph by 6.7sec after four brutal days to spearhead Toyota’s second clean sweep in as many Safari Rally editions.

President William Ruto presented Ogier and co-driver Vincent Landais with their trophies, commemorating Ogier's second win at the event, amid stunning scenery at Hell's Gate.

"Unbelievable! Look at that, even on the Power Stage I got a stone on the windscreen! We had a lot of issues to face but it could have been a more comfortable rally for us in terms of pace. A lot of misfortune but we brought it home," quipped Ogier.

Finishing as runner-up felt like a personal victory for the title-defending Rovanperä, who extended his championship lead to 37 points after round seven of 13.

He said: “You always want to fight for the win but we did our best starting first car on the road, so regarding that I think it's not fully bad. Good points for the season anyway,” offered Rovanperä at the completion of the Wolf Power Stage.

Takamoto Katsuta’s hopes of surpassing team-mate Elfyn Evans and achieving a third Safari Rally podium vanished when his car’s hybrid unit stopped working, sapping vital performance. He settled for fourth overall, 25.3sec back from the Toyota-driving Welshman with Ogier and Rovanperä more than two minutes up the road.

Dani Sordo overcame power steering failure in SS16 to finish an isolated fifth at the end of a testing weekend for Hyundai Motorsport, which now trails Toyota by 42 points in the manufacturers’ title race.

Early podium challenger Esapekka Lappi was way down the order after being plagued by transmission issues in his i20 N while Thierry Neuville, recovering from suspension failure on Friday, could only muster eighth.

Tyre troubles earlier in the rally prevented M-Sport Ford Puma drivers Ott Tänak and Pierre-Louis Loubet from mounting any form of attack. They finished sixth and seventh respectively.  

Eighth-placed Kajetan Kajetanowicz secured his second Kenyan WRC2 victory in a Škoda Fabia Rally2 Evo. Oliver Solberg was not nominated to score points in the support category but finished ninth overall while Martin Prokop completed the top 10.

In WRC2, Kajetan Kajetanowicz confirmed his second Safari Rally Kenya win in as many years with a masterful drive in typically challenging conditions on the classic African event.

The Škoda-driving Pole cruised to Sunday afternoon’s finish more than 11 minutes in front of nearest-placed challenger Martin Prokop, vaulting from ninth to fourth in the championship standings as a result.

Kajetanowicz tussled with M-Sport Ford youngster Grégoire Munster through Friday and Saturday but found himself comfortably clear at the top when his Fiesta Rally2 rival pulled over with a mechanical issue. A cool and clever run through the closing six special stages was all that was needed to bring home the victory.

"We did it again! It's an amazing feeling. It was so nice to be here again - it seemed to be easy but it wasn't. Thank you to my team and Maciej, I think we did quite a good job," said Kajetanowicz, referencing his co-driver Maciej Szczepaniak.

It was a case of third time lucky for Prokop, who crashed in 2021 and retired with engine failure in 2022. A Friday misfire caused minor frustration for the Czech star but he achieved a career-best WRC2 result alongside co-driver Zdeněk Jůrka.

Local legend Carl ‘Flash’ Tundo met his target of finishing inside the top three, trailing Prokop by 2min 55sec in a Škoda Fabia R5. Armin Kremer, driving a slightly newer model, claimed fourth and also won the WRC Masters Cup category.

Completing the strong Polish showing over the weekend, Daniel Chwist rounded out the top five in his Škoda Fabia RS Rally2. 

Diego Dominguez climbed to second in the WRC3 championship standings with an assured drive to claim victory in the all-Ford Fiesta Rally3 category at Safari Rally Kenya.

So brutal was Africa’s punishing power that Dominguez was the only driver in the category to reach the finish without utilising restart rules. He topped the timesheets by 55min 08.8sec after four days of rough gravel action, reducing absent championship leader Roope Korhonen’s advantage to just 13 points.

The Paraguayan’ maintained a cautious policy in Friday’s opening leg, eager to avoid a repeat of his crash-induced retirement here 12 months ago. But when local rival Hamza Anwar suffered three punctures that afternoon, Dominguez was in the clear and never looked back.

Jason Bailey was the best of the rest, a top-two result giving the Canadian something to smile about after his crew worked hard to repair a damaged engine sump overnight. He overcame a broken wheel in Sunday morning's final stage to head McRae Kimathi, who was sidelined by broken steering on Saturday.

Hamza Anwar and Jeremiah Wahome, both competing on home soil, failed to restart after their cars sustained terminal damage in the same Soysambu water splash on Saturday. 

The FIA World Rally Championship returns to Europe next month when the super-fast gravel roads of Rally Estonia host round eight from 20 - 23 July.

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Safari Rally Kenya 2022 data: Running order + itinerary

DirtFish and EWRC Results bring you all the information you need ahead of the African event

Photography by Toyota

Words by Luke Barry

In partnership with Goodwood Festival of Speed

safari rally day 2

We may have visited Africa last year, but it feels no less exciting for the World Rally Championship to be going back in 2022.

It may be a scaled challenge in terms of competitive distance compared to what it once was, but Safari Rally Kenya is a special event and a really unique challenge.

Here’s all the key information you need for this season’s first event outside Europe.

Entry breakdown

Total 30 crews 12 Priority 1 crews 8 Priority 2 crews (WRC2) 5 Priority 3 crews (WRC3) 5 Non-priority crews

Despite the Safari entry being the smallest of the season so far, the Rally1 lineup is actually the equal highest with 12 cars taking the start.

All three teams are fielding a different array of drivers to the last round in Sardinia, as Kalle Rovanperä and Elfyn Evans are once again joined at Toyota by reigning world champion and last year’s Safari winner Sébastien Ogier.

Ogier’s part-time counterpart and old rival Sébastien Loeb is also back for his third round of the season, taking the controls of a Ford Puma Rally1 alongside Craig Breen and Adrien Fourmaux.

Loeb’s presence once again relieves Gus Greensmith of manufacturer points scoring duties, while Jourdan Serderidis becomes the first private driver to run a Rally1 car in the WRC as he’ll compete in his own Puma.

Change is also afoot at Hyundai as Oliver Solberg gets his first Rally1 start since April.

safari rally day 2

Each driver contesting a full season in WRC2 must select one long haul event to be eligible in the final championship standings, but not that many have chosen Safari Rally Kenya as their trip outside Europe.

Triple European Rally champion Kajetan Kajetanowicz has though and looks a strong favorite for victory in his Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo, but Martin Prokop has the advantage of taking this rally on last year.

And then there’s Sean Johnston who surely has his best chance yet of a WRC2 podium this week in his Citroën C3 Rally2.

There’s plenty of local interest too as Karan Patel, Amanraaj Rai and Aakif Virani have all entered.

safari rally day 2

Paraguay native Diego Dominguez jr sticks out in what is an otherwise all-Kenyan contest in WRC3.

McRae Kimathi is the headline act given he’s contesting a season of Junior WRC this year, but Jeremy Wahome is the top seed and he won the class on last year’s Safari on what was his very first rally. Not just in the WRC, ever.

Hamza Anwar is next ahead of Kimathi, while Jeremy’s older sister Maxine makes her debut in a Ford Fiesta Rally3.

safari rally day 2

Safari Rally Kenya is unique for a modern event (not just because of the rugged nature and mesmerizing wildlife) in that it runs across five days – and has a service break on Sunday. Shakedown is on Wednesday before a superspecial on Thursday and the real meat of the action on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

At 225.5 stage miles, the Safari is the longest event of the season so far and the route has undergone some subtle tweaks from last year.

Several stages have been tweaked to include new sections, while Geothermal on Friday and Narasha on Sunday are completely brand-new stages.

Hell’s Gate remains as the powerstage while Sleeping Warrior – the stage that turned the rally on its head last year when rain suddenly fell – is the only full-length test to remain unchanged from 2021.

safari rally day 2

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IMAGES

  1. GALLERY: The best of Safari Rally Kenya

    safari rally day 2

  2. GALLERY

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  3. SAFARI RALLY MAKES ITS LONG AWAITED WRC RETURN

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  4. 2019 Safari Classic Rally Day 2 Report

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  5. Best of Safari Rally Kenya 2022

    safari rally day 2

  6. WRC : le Safari Rallye est enfin de retour ! Ogier le plus rapide au

    safari rally day 2

COMMENTS

  1. Day 2 Highlights

    The first full day of action at Safari Rally Kenya did not disappoint! For more WRC videos, visit https://www.wrc.comEnjoy every stage LIVE or on demand, wit...

  2. WRC 2023 Rd.7 Day 2

    strongly through Safari's first big tests. 2023.6.23 (Fri) TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team occupies the top three positions on the leaderboard after a strong performance on the first full day of Safari Rally Kenya, with Sébastien Ogier leading team-mates Kalle Rovanperä and Elfyn Evans. Car 17 (Sébastien Ogier, Vincent Landais)

  3. Day 2 Drivers' Reaction

    Drivers react to a challenging full day of action in Kenya!For more WRC videos, visit https://www.wrc.comEnjoy every stage LIVE or on demand, with exclusive ...

  4. Day 2 Highlights

    The first full day of action at Safari Rally Kenya did not disappoint! | Kenya. Watch. Home. Live. Reels. Shows. Explore. More. Home. Live. Reels. Shows. Explore. Day 2 Highlights | WRC Safari Rally Kenya 2023. Like. Comment. Share. 1.1K · 30 comments · 15K views. WRC - FIA World Rally Championship posted a video to playlist ...

  5. WRC Safari Rally Day 2: Toyota's Ogier throws down gauntlet

    As at 11:59am, Toyota drivers - the 2021 champion Sebastien Ogier navigated by fellow Frenchman Vincent Landais - opened a 2.5-second lead over defending champions Kalle Rovanpera, navigated by Jonne Halttunen, at the end of the 2023 Safari Rally morning pass through 63 kilometres covering Loldia 1, Geothermal 1 and Kedong 1.

  6. WRC Safari Rally Kenya

    Held on the untamed terrains of Africa's breathtaking landscapes where the weather can change in a matter of minutes. Mud, rocks, fesh-fesh sand and challenging water crossings make Safari Rally Kenya the ultimate test of endurance. | FIA World Rally Championship official website. Keep up-to-date with the latest news, rally results, WRC standings, calendar updates, video highlights and ...

  7. WRC Safari Rally Day 2 -Leaderboard

    WRC Safari Rally Day 2 -Leaderboard Saturday, June 24, 2023 ... The Safari Rally Friday lived up to its expectations as the world's toughest when Hyundai's Thierry Neuville became the first biggest casualty of the event; Nevertheless, the Geothermal would bite him again on the second pass as the front-left suspension gave way on his Hyundai ...

  8. Star-struck rally fans enjoy rare moments with top WRC drivers

    Fans meet WRC Safari Rally drivers at Safari Mall in Naivasha town on June 22, 2023. While Thursday was an archiving moment for hundreds of rally fans as they thronged to Naivas Supermarket Kayole, along the Naivasha-Nairobi highway for a personalised moment with famed WRC drivers and co-drivers, Friday's action was equally exciting to the ...

  9. WRC Safari Rally: Ogier leads Toyota 1-2-3-4, but Rovanpera ...

    The rally-ending, 6.54-mile Hell's Gate 2 will be the bonus points-paying Wolf Power Stage, and could be crucial in the battle for the overall victory between Ogier and Rovanpera. WRC Safari Rally Kenya, leading positions after Day Two, SS13 1 Sebastien Ogier/Vincent Landais (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) 2h43m49.2s

  10. WRC Safari Rally Day 2

    Toyota drivers - the 2021 champion Sebastien Ogier navigated by fellow Frenchman Vincent Landais - Friday opened a 2.5-second lead over defending champions Kalle Rovanpera, navigated by Jonne Halttunen, at the end of the 2023 Safari Rally morning pass through 63 kilometres covering Loldia 1, Geothermal 1 and Kedong 1.

  11. Safari Rally Day 2

    Back to the plains, jungle and swamps for the second part of the Safari rally! Day 1 went (mostly) well, pulling the porsche through these difficult stages. ...

  12. WRC Safari Rally: Everything you need to know

    The event has prided itself as being one of the WRC's jewel in the crown events given its difficulty to win and its unique stages. The Safari Rally was a mainstay on the WRC calendar from 1973 ...

  13. FIA WRC 2024: Safari Rally Kenya

    16 - 18 February 2024 Umeå, Sweden. WRC. Watch the Replay. Rallye Monte-Carlo. 26 - 28 January 2024 Monte Carlo. WRC. Watch the Replay. Rally Croatia. 19 - 21 April 2024 Croatia.

  14. Ogier wins WRC Safari Rally to head Toyota's Kenya sweep

    The FIA World Rally Championship returns to Europe next month when the super-fast gravel roads of Rally Estonia host round eight, July 20-23. WRC Safari Rally Kenya, final positions after Day Three, SS19 1 Sebastien Ogier/Vincent Landais (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) 3h30m42.5s 2 Kalle Rovanpera/Jonne Halttunen (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) +6.7s

  15. WRC Safari Rally: Everything you need to know

    Last year, the marque scored a stunning 1-2-3-4. Safari Rally Kenya itinerary . This year's edition will be contested over 19 stages, comprising 355.92km across four days of competitive action ...

  16. WRC Safari Rally: Rovanpera wins as Toyota scores 1-2-3-4

    WRC Safari Rally: Rovanpera wins as Toyota scores 1-2-3-4 ... Friday he fared admirably opening the roads as Kenya's deep fesh-fesh sand wrecked havoc with WRC crews, ending the day with a 14.6s ...

  17. [TGR News] Safari Rally Kenya Day 2 : The Safari shows its bite for

    Safari Rally Kenya: Day 2. The Safari shows its bite for TOYOTA GAZOO Racing. The first full day of FIA World Rally Championship action in Africa for nearly 20 years proved to be incredibly demanding for the crews, including all three TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team pairings. TGR WRC Challenge Program driver Takamoto Katsuta is the highest ...

  18. WRC

    Sébastien Ogier defied team-mate Kalle Rovanperä's charge to head home a dream 1-2-3-4 finish for Toyota Gazoo Racing on a spectacular final day at Safari Rally Kenya. Ogier recorded his third victory from just five starts so far this season but his rally very nearly unravelled in Sunday's second special stage when a patch of Kenya's ...

  19. Final Day Highlights

    No spoilers... 😉For more WRC videos, visit https://www.wrc.comEnjoy every stage LIVE or on demand, with exclusive access and onboard footage at https://www....

  20. Safari Rally Kenya 2022 data: Running order + itinerary

    Itinerary. Safari Rally Kenya is unique for a modern event (not just because of the rugged nature and mesmerizing wildlife) in that it runs across five days - and has a service break on Sunday. Shakedown is on Wednesday before a superspecial on Thursday and the real meat of the action on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

  21. Safari Rally Day 1

    And onwards now to (probably) the craziest Rally of the year, Safari! Anything can happen in Safari. Through narrow rutted forest passes, or across wide open...

  22. Safari Rally Kenya Day 4: Heartbreak and Glory

    📺 Watch Safari Rally Kenya on Red Bull TV: https://win.gs/safarirallySébastien Ogier snatched an unlikely victory at Safari Rally Kenya on Sunday afternoon ...

  23. The Zimbabwe Safari Rally

    The Zimbabwe Safari Rally. 2,380 likes · 22 talking about this. The Zimbabwe Safari Rally is an annual 4 day amateur 650km Car Rally event