Thierry Neuville of Belgium leads Hyundai team-mate Adrien Fourmaux of France on Super Sunday at the Safari Rally Kenya, while Elfyn Evans of Wales remains on course for the overall rally win. However, the morning’s biggest shock was the retirement of Finland’s Kalle Rovanperä, who was forced to park his Toyota due to a flat battery after the day’s opening stage.
Rovanperä Retires, Munster Struggles
Rovanperä’s exit came as a major disappointment for Toyota, as the defending world champion had been fighting to recover lost time after Saturday’s tyre troubles. His retirement meant that Toyota’s hopes for valuable manufacturer points now rested on Japan’s Takamoto Katsuta and rally leader Evans.
Elsewhere, sixth-placed Grégoire Munster of Luxembourg faced mechanical issues. His M-Sport Ford dramatically lost power and barely managed to complete Hell’s Gate, the final stage before a short 15-minute service halt.
Neuville and Fourmaux Battle for Super Sunday Honors
With Evans holding a commanding championship lead and a strong position in Africa, his rivals needed to push hard on Sunday to limit the damage.
Hyundai’s Neuville has been the fastest so far, leading his French team-mate Fourmaux by just 3.3 seconds. Fourmaux, who won the Hell’s Gate stage, was strategically retired from Saturday’s stages to preserve his car after he faced setbacks on both Thursday and Friday. The decision has paid off, as he remains in contention for top Super Sunday points.
Katsuta Leads Toyota’s Charge but Faces Issues
Takamoto Katsuta has emerged as Toyota’s top performer on Sunday, running third in the day’s standings. However, the Japanese driver has had an eventful morning. He lost valuable time after spinning on Mzabibu and then overcooked his braking on Oserengoni, sending his car off into the undergrowth. Despite the mistake, he still managed to win the stage and is just 4.2 seconds off the Super Sunday lead.
Katsuta is also fending off Estonia’s Ott Tänak, who led the charge after the opening stage but has since slipped down to fourth, 0.8 seconds behind the Toyota driver.
Evans in Control for the Overall Rally Win
While the Super Sunday battle rages on, Evans remains focused on the bigger picture. Currently in fifth place for the Sunday standings and 24.1 seconds behind Neuville, the Welshman is poised to secure one bonus point. More importantly, he continues to hold a dominant 1-minute 38.3-second lead in the overall rally standings, keeping him firmly on course for victory.
Greensmith Comfortable in WRC2
In the WRC2 category, Britain’s Gus Greensmith now has a comfortable lead after Spain’s Jan Solans suffered a dramatic roll on SS18. Although Solans managed to continue, he lost three minutes and now trails Greensmith significantly.
Final Outlook
With only a few stages left, Evans appears to have one hand on the Safari Rally trophy. Meanwhile, the fight for Super Sunday honors remains tight, with Neuville, Fourmaux, and Katsuta all in the mix. Toyota’s focus now shifts to securing crucial manufacturer points, while Greensmith looks set to seal WRC2 victory. The closing stages promise more drama as the toughest rally on the WRC calendar nears its thrilling conclusion.
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