Kenyan President William Ruto officially launched the 73rd Safari Rally Kenya in Nairobi (Thursday, 20 March). On the stages, it was Ott Tänak who came out swinging, topping the timesheets after the opening two tests.
Ruto was on-site to flag away the leading crews as they crossed the start ramp in the Kenyan capital, before heading to the nearby Kasarani Stadium for a super special stage. Thousands of fans packed every available vantage point to catch a glimpse of the WRC stars in action, before the rally moved to the all-new Mzabibu test, just 10 kilometres outside of rally base Naivasha.
Championship leader Elfyn Evans set the early pace in Kasarani, but Tänak hit back in SS2 with a commanding run on the longer, more technical stage. The Hyundai i20 N Rally1 driver vaulted from fourth to first, ending the day 2.4sec clear of Takamoto Katsuta, with M-Sport Ford Puma ace Grégoire Munster just two-tenths further back.
“For me, it was all fine,” Tänak said. “I think the first stage tomorrow will show quite a lot. It’s super tricky, very demanding and long at the same time. I think the whole day will be quite a big show.”
Katsuta - already a three-time podium finisher in Kenya - could well have led outright were it not for a wild moment in SS2. The Toyota driver ran wide on a left-hander and lost precious seconds scrambling to regain traction.
His GR Yaris Rally1 team-mates Kalle Rovanperä and Evans completed the top five, but there was trouble for Hyundai’s Adrien Fourmaux, who didn’t make it to SS2 after his engine refused to start following the regroup.
Fourmaux's team-mate and defending champion Thierry Neuville also endured a tough start, struggling with a technical problem on his i20 N Rally1 following a two-wheeled moment that left him eighth behind Josh McErlean and Sami Pajari.
The action resumes this morning with the first of the day’s six stages. The biggest challenge will be the 31.40km Camp Moran test, which opens the morning and afternoon loops.
Standings after Thursday (SS2 /21):
1. O Tänak / M Järveoja EST Hyundai i20 N 9m 52.3s
2. T Katsuta / A Johnston JPN Toyota GR Yaris +2.4s
3. G Munster / L Louka LUX Ford Puma +2.6s
4. K Rovanperä / J Halttunen Toyota GR Yaris +3.0s
5. E Evans / S Martin GBR Toyota GR Yaris +4.5
6. J McErlean / E Treacy IRL Ford Puma +8.8s
