In the rugged and unforgiving terrains of the WRC Safari Rally Kenya, Friday’s racing was a test of both man and machine. The battlefield was littered with dented and broken cars, torn bumpers, and missing slitters, revealing the unforgiving nature of this iconic rally. Amidst the chaos, Elfyn Evans and Scott Martin emerged victorious, boasting a 7.7-second lead over their Toyota Gazoo Racing teammates, Kalle Rovanperä and Jonne Halttunen.
The day kicked off with a gruelingly long stage, a convoluted and bumpy trail through the damp Kenyan landscape. Unfazed, Ott Tanak and Martin Järveoja leaped to the lead, conquering the 31.4 km stage ahead of world champion Thierry Neuville and Martijn Wydaeghe. This gave the Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team a glimmer of hope to quench their African victory drought.
The Estonian driver, Tanak, maintained his momentum, claiming victory in three of the morning’s stages. With a respectable 24.4-second lead over Evans, he returned to the service park. However, the afternoon session saw the tables turn dramatically. A driveshaft issue in SS10 saw Tanak’s lead evaporate, losing the i20 N pair precious 68 seconds and the lead.
Championing caution over aggression, Evans commented on the day’s challenges. “It’s a tough day… It’s a tad frustrating as you feel you can risk more, go faster, but you have to remember where we are.” He expressed sympathy for Tanak’s mechanical failure, acknowledging the unpredictable nature of rally racing.
Tanak, despite his setback, remained resilient. “We had a driveline issue… We were unable to remove it before the penultimate stage, so we had to drive cautiously to avoid engine damage. We managed to remove it for the final stage, and we aim to bounce back tomorrow,” he stated.
Rovanperä, unscathed except for a spin in stage four, secured victories in the day’s final two stages, closing in on his teammate Evans. Meanwhile, Tanak dropped to third place, trailing behind by 55.4 seconds.
Neuville, who had started the day in eighth place, faced a series of penalties and punctures, testing his resolve. However, he managed to climb back up the leaderboard. Takamoto Katsuta, suffering from a stomach bug and punctures, adopted a survival strategy, ending the day in fifth position.
Young talents Sami Pajari and Marko Salminen impressed on their debut Safari, securing a sixth position despite a tire change in the morning’s first stage. Their fellow competitors faced a series of challenges, ranging from engine overheating to issues with bodywork.
Saturday’s racing will take the crews to the scenic Lake Elmenteita for three familiar stages: Sleeping Warrior, Elmenteita, and Soysambu. These stages will be revisited after a midday service in Naivasha. As the dust settles on a brutal Friday, the competitors gear up for another day of intense racing, hoping to conquer the relentless Kenyan landscape.
