As the dust settled on the initial stages of the Safari Rally Kenya, Ott Tänak and his co-driver Martin Järveoja emerged as the frontrunners. Piloting their Hyundai i20 N, the duo claimed an early lead in this third installment of the FIA World Rally Championship, finishing a mere 2.4 seconds ahead of the team of Takamoto Katsuta and Aaron Johnston in their Toyota GR Yaris.
Katsuta, however, had to wrestle with his own set of challenges during the second stage. A braking error sent him hurtling through a field, narrowly skirting an irrigation system and a pumphouse. The mishap cost him precious seconds but failed to dampen his spirit.
“I’m thrilled to be racing in Kenya again. This year’s challenge is a lot steeper than previous ones, but I’m ready to give it my all,” Katsuta admitted. He also commented on the treacherous second stage, stating that the post-rain conditions made it difficult to gauge the slickness of the corners, leading him to veer wide at one point. “This could recur in numerous stages throughout the weekend, so it’s a valuable lesson on the unpredictability of the race. Tomorrow’s stages promise some high-octane drama, but I’m confident with my car and just need to stay patient and composed,” he added.
Meanwhile, M-Sport Ford’s Gregoire Munster and Louis Louka, who had been the target of media criticism following a lackluster performance in Sweden, found themselves in third place, a mere 0.2 seconds behind Katsuta.
Hot on their heels, and just 0.4 seconds adrift, were Kalle Rovanperä and Jonne Halttunen, double Safari winners. Championship leader Elfyn Evans and Scott Martin were fifth, even though they had clinched the opening super special stage by a 1.5-second margin.
Josh McErlean and Eoin Treacy proved victorious in the rookie battle, finishing sixth. Sami Pajari and Marko Salminen trailed by a single second. The gap from the first to seventh place was a paltry 9.8 seconds, illustrating the nip-and-tuck nature of the rally so far.
However, the race was not without its share of adversity. Thierry Neuville, after a wild two-wheeled encounter in stage two, found himself stalled in eighth place overall, a significant 19.7 seconds behind the leader, due to a technical glitch. In a separate incident, Adrien Fourmaux and Alex Coria failed to start SS2 after their Hyundai’s engine refused to kickstart post the re-group.
In the WRC2 category, Kajetan Kajetanowicz made a stunning debut in his Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, leading the pack with Oliver Solberg just 1.3 seconds behind.
As the rallying world braces for the upcoming stages, racers offered a moment of levity at the end of the opening stage. In a collective protest against the FIA’s crackdown on swearing and Adrien Fourmaux’s hefty €10k fine at Rally Sweden, drivers either declined to give an end-of-stage interview or responded in their native language.
The thrill of the Safari Rally Kenya is set to continue as racers gear up for six grueling stages on Friday. The most daunting test lies in the 31.40km Camp Moran stretch, the longest of the rally, which kicks off the morning and afternoon loops.