Evans’ Landmark Victory in Kenya: Elfyn Evans secured a commanding victory at the Safari Rally Kenya, further solidifying his position atop the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) standings. The Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 driver, alongside co-driver Scott Martin, triumphed over Hyundai’s Ott Tänak by 1min 9.9sec, marking his second win of the season.
Record-Breaking Championship Lead: This victory propelled Evans to a record-breaking 36-point lead in the drivers’ championship, the largest margin ever recorded after just three rounds of a WRC campaign.
Safari’s Enduring Spectacle: The challenging four-day rally, traversing Kenya’s Great Rift Valley, drew a massive crowd of over 250,000 spectators, a significant increase from the 188,000 attendees in 2024.
Evans’ Resilience Amidst Challenges: Evans’ path to victory was not without its hurdles. He overcame tyre deflations, spins, and an electrical issue on the final day, demonstrating his resilience and skill in navigating the demanding Safari terrain.
Hyundai’s Double Podium and Toyota’s Setback: Hyundai secured a double podium finish, with Tänak in second and Thierry Neuville in third. Neuville, despite facing numerous challenges including time penalties and car damage, managed to secure a podium spot. This marked Hyundai’s best ever Safari result. However, Toyota, despite Evans’ victory, failed to place another car on the podium, a first for them at this rally.
Rovanperä’s Troubles and Other Performances: Kalle Rovanperä, initially poised for a strong finish, suffered rear suspension damage and later retired due to an electrical issue. Takamoto Katsuta’s roll on the Wolf Power Stage prevented him from finishing, promoting Sami Pajari to fourth. Grégoire Munster finished fifth, while Gus Greensmith won WRC2.
Upcoming Rally Islas Canarias: The WRC now heads to Rally Islas Canarias, an asphalt rally based on Gran Canaria, scheduled for April 24-27.
Rally Classification:
- E Evans / S Martin GBR Toyota GR Yaris 4h 20m 3.8s
- O Tänak / M Järveoja EST Hyundai i20 N +1m 9.9s
- T Neuville / M Wydaeghe BEL Hyundai i20 N +3m 32.0s
- S Pajari / M Salminen FIN Toyota GR Yaris +7m 18.7s
- G Munster / L Louka LUX Ford Puma +11m 35.3s
- G Greensmith / J Andersson SWE Škoda Fabia +14m 11.6s
Drivers’ Championship Standings (After Round 3 of 14):
- E Evans 88pts
- T Neuville 52pts
- O Tänak 49pts
Manufacturers’ Championship Standings (After Round 3 of 14):
- Toyota GAZOO Racing WRT 148pts
- Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT 122pts
- M-Sport Ford WRT 47pts
Source: WRC
This article was crafted with assistance from Gemini
