The 2025 Safari Rally Kenya took an unexpected turn on the final day, Sunday March 23, 2025 as Finnish driver Kalle Rovanperä was forced to retire from fifth place, marking a disappointing end to his campaign.
The two-time World Rally Champion had high hopes of salvaging valuable points, but mechanical failure meant he would leave the African event empty-handed.
A Promising Start Ends in Disappointment
Rovanperä, who represents Toyota Gazoo Racing, showed early promise in the rally and was as close as 7.7 seconds to the lead at one point. However, his hopes of victory took a hit on Saturday morning when two punctures dropped him more than a minute behind his Toyota teammate, Welsh driver Elfyn Evans.
Despite pushing hard to recover, further misfortune struck in the afternoon loop when he broke his rear-left suspension against a rock, forcing him to limp through the remaining stages and fall to fifth place.
Mechanical Failure Seals His Fate
With his chances of winning gone, Rovanperä set his sights on maximizing his points from Super Sunday and the power stage. However, after Sunday’s opening test, he and co-driver Jonne Halttunen were seen working on their Toyota GR Yaris Rally1, attempting to replace an alternator belt. Despite their best efforts, their car ultimately ran out of battery, forcing them to retire from the rally altogether.
“It’s definitely not a good weekend,” Rovanperä admitted to DirtFish. “It looked good if we would have been getting some points and staying close, but now for sure the gaps will be much bigger for us.”
A Tough Season for the Champion
This latest setback continues what has been a frustrating season for the 23-year-old Finn. Rovanperä, who dominated the WRC in previous years, has struggled to adapt to the new Hankook tires introduced this season. In the opening two rounds in Monte Carlo and Sweden, he failed to secure a podium finish, and his poor run in Kenya further complicates his championship hopes.
As a result, Rovanperä now finds himself trailing significantly in the title race. With three rounds completed, his closest rivals—Frenchman Sébastien Ogier and Evans—have already built a sizeable points advantage.
Toyota’s Struggles in Kenya
Despite Evans leading the rally, Toyota Gazoo Racing is on track for its weakest collective result in Safari Rally Kenya since the event returned to the WRC calendar in 2021. Toyota had dominated the rally in recent years, with Rovanperä himself winning in 2022 and 2023, but 2025 has proven to be a different challenge.
“I think the previous years have gone so well for us also that we used our luck there,” Rovanperä said. “At some point, you get all the bad stuff.”
Looking Ahead
With the next round of the WRC looming, Rovanperä and Toyota must regroup quickly. The defending champion will need to adapt to the new tire regulations and find consistency if he hopes to climb back into the title race. His next opportunity to bounce back will come in Croatia, where he must deliver a strong performance to avoid falling further behind in the championship standings.
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