Elfyn Evans tightened his grip on the Safari Rally Kenya on Saturday morning, delivering a commanding performance in punishing conditions to extend his lead to 1 minute 32.5 seconds. The Toyota driver made the most of the treacherous terrain, while his closest rival, Kalle Rovanperä, faced tyre issues that cost him valuable time.
A Tough Morning for the WRC Crews
After a brutal Friday, the rally’s second full day presented no relief for the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) drivers. The Kenyan landscape continued to test their endurance, with deep ruts, loose rocks, and sections of thick mud making progress difficult. Some parts of the stages resembled full-on mud baths, adding to the challenge.
Evans started the day with a narrow 7.7-second advantage over Rovanperä but wasted no time asserting his dominance. He set the pace on the opening stage, Sleeping Warrior, a 26.97-kilometre test known for its rough and unpredictable surface. Despite suffering damage to his rear tyre towards the end, the Welshman increased his lead by 8.2 seconds.
Rovanperä’s Tyre Nightmare
Rovanperä had hoped to respond but instead saw his chances fade due to tyre troubles. On the Elmenteita stage, a front-right deflation in the final five kilometres saw him lose 21.1 seconds to Evans. Things got even worse on the following test at Soysambu, where another puncture—this time on the front-left—cost him an additional 55.5 seconds. By the midday service halt, his deficit had grown to over a minute and a half.
Hyundai’s Neuville Falls Behind
Thierry Neuville also had a frustrating start to the day. The Hyundai driver lost valuable time early on when he had to stop and change a wheel on the day’s first stage. This setback dropped him from fourth to fifth place, allowing Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta to move up the rankings.
Katsuta, despite a half-spin on Sleeping Warrior, managed to stay consistent. His fastest time on SS13 helped him maintain fourth place, finishing the loop 1 minute 29.4 seconds ahead of Neuville. However, he still trailed third-placed Ott Tänak by 1 minute 47.7 seconds.
WRC2 and the Midfield Battle
In the WRC2 category, Sami Pajari continued his dominant run, remaining unchallenged in sixth place overall. Meanwhile, Jan Solans overtook Gus Greensmith to claim seventh place and take the WRC2 lead. Greensmith slipped to eighth, while Grégoire Munster and Fabrizio Zaldivar completed the top ten.
Analysis: Evans in Control, but the Rally is Far from Over
With his lead now over 90 seconds, Evans appears to be in control of the rally, but the Safari Rally Kenya is known for its unpredictability. Rovanperä will need to push hard in the afternoon stages if he hopes to close the gap, but with two punctures already, he will also have to manage his tyres carefully.
Neuville’s setback shows just how easily positions can change in these conditions, and the battle for the podium is far from settled. With more punishing terrain ahead, anything can still happen in this classic African rally.
