Start of great contrasts for the Toyota team in the Safari Rally, round six of the WRC. While Sébastien Ogier has achieved the scratch in SS1 and is the first leader of the test after being the fastest in the super special held in Nairobi, leader Kalle Rovanperä has been inches away from having a capsize which could well have cost him a dislike. Thierry Neuville and Ott Tänak close the first provisional podium of the test waiting for the start of the real action this Friday with the first stage.
The second edition of the Safari Rally after its return to the World Championship with a format adapted to the new times has started in the same way as last year, with a super special on the outskirts of Nairobi to whet your appetite. A section that could well be considered ‘inconsequential’, but almost has much more weight than expected. Not so much because of the differences that have occurred, but because of the enormous scare that Kalle Rovanperä has had at the controls of his Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 almost as soon as the stage began.
Although Rovanperä was the last to enter the action together with Ott Tänak, the current leader of the World Cup was guilty of being too fiery. In fact, Kalle Rovanperä has lost the braking point in the first corner and has been just centimeters away from capsizing his ‘Rally1’. Although as a result of the manoeuvre, the rear right tire came off and has yielded almost 12 seconds In the almost five kilometers of special, Kalle can be satisfied with this toll given the situation he has experienced.
With much less trouble, the Frenchman Sébastien Ogier has crossed the SS1 to score the best time and sleep as the first leader of the Safari Rally while waiting for what may happen in the three stages of the test. The Toyota driver beat Thierry Neuville by six tenths and Ott Tänak by 1.1 seconds. The ‘sandwich’ of the Hyundai drivers has been completed by Elfyn Evans by placing fourth with the second of the Toyota ‘Rally1’. For its part, Sébastien Loeb has been the best driver of M-Sport finishing fifth.
Takamoto Katusta has scored the sixth fastest time in the section, rolling almost in times of the leading pilots. And it is that behind the Japanese if there has been a small ‘jump’ in level, since Craig Breen has yielded 4.4 seconds with Ogier. Although Kalle Rovanperä has had this problem, none of the WRC2 drivers have lapped at the Finn’s pace. With everything, the first scratch in the silver category went to Kajetan Kajetanowicz after narrowly beating Martin Prokop.
Qualifying after SS1 of the 69th Kenya Safari Rally
Kenya Safari Rally continues this Friday (07:00 a.m.) with the dispute of the first stage of the test. Pilots and co-pilots will dispute 124.20 kilometers against the clock during the day.
Photos: Toyota Gazoo Racing