Kalle Rovanpera, the reigning world champion, dominated the Safari Rally Kenya, clinching victories in all six stages in a remarkable display of skill on Friday.
The 23-year-old Finnish driver, who is selectively participating in this year’s WRC world championship events, surged from third place to lead the pack.
Rovanpera, driving for Toyota and the previous year’s winner of the African race, navigated the challenging savannah terrain with finesse.
The Safari Rally, known as the most arduous leg of the 13-round championship, is particularly testing this year due to the rainy season, presenting treacherous tracks for the competitors. Despite these hurdles and a setback in Sweden last month, Rovanpera managed to carve out a significant lead over his Toyota teammates, Elfyn Evans and Takamoto Katsuta.
Thierry Neuville, the current championship leader, encountered difficulties as the first to blaze the trail, resulting in a puncture and damage to his vehicle after a collision with a stone. The Belgian Hyundai driver finished the day in fourth place, trailing by 1 minute and 7 seconds.
The event proved disheartening for Neuville’s Hyundai teammates, with Esapekka Lappi facing a transmission issue and Ott Tanak experiencing an off-road mishap, dashing their victory aspirations.
Hyundai’s struggles in Kenya persist, with only one podium finish since the Safari Rally’s reintroduction to the calendar, while Toyota continues to excel on the African terrain.
The rally continues on Saturday with six stages covering 160.96 kilometers against the clock.
Current Standings of the Safari Rally Kenya:
- Kalle Rovanpera (FIN/Toyota)- 1:16:22.6
- Elfyn Evans (GBR/Toyota)- +56.9s
- Takamoto Katsuta (JPN/Toyota)- +1:00.8s
- Thierry Neuville (BEL/Hyundai)- +1:07.3s
- Adrien Fourmaux (FRA/M-Sport Ford)- +1:46.6s
Stage Victories
- Kalle Rovanpera – SS2 to SS7
- Thierry Neuville – SS1
Notable Retirements
- Esapekka Lappi (FIN/Hyundai) – Transmission failure during SS5
- Ott Tanak (EST/Hyundai) – Departed the road on SS6
