Kenya welcomed the 2025 Safari Rally with the energetic launch by President William Ruto in Nairobi today. As the engines roared to life, Ott Tänak took center stage, leading after the exhilarating opening tests.
President Ruto proudly waved off the rally’s elite as they revved past Nairobi’s start ramp, eventually making their way to the bustling Kasarani Stadium for an adrenaline-packed super special stage. The excitement was palpable as thousands of fans filled every nook for a front-row glimpse of their rally heroes. The event then shifted to the fresh Mzabibu course located just a stone’s throw from Naivasha’s rally base.
Initially, it was Elfyn Evans who blazed through the Kasarani, setting the early pace. However, Tänak, behind the wheel of his Hyundai i20 N Rally1, was quick to retaliate during SS2, expertly navigating the more challenging stage. This stellar performance propelled him from fourth up to first place, ending the day 2.4 seconds ahead of Takamoto Katsuta. Meanwhile, Grégoire Munster impressed, securing a close third in his M-Sport Ford Puma.
“I’m feeling good,” Tänak shared, exuding confidence. “Tomorrow’s first stage is going to reveal quite a bit. It’s incredibly tricky—demanding and long. The entire day promises to be quite the spectacle.”
Katsuta, who’s no stranger to the Kenyan podium, nearly clinched the lead. However, he encountered a heart-pounding moment in SS2, running wide on a sharp turn and scrambling to regain control. His Toyota teammates, Kalle Rovanperä and Evans, rounded out the top five. Unfortunately, Hyundai’s Adrien Fourmaux was left behind after his car engine failed to reignite post-regroup, missing the crucial SS2.
Fourmaux’s teammate and defending champion Thierry Neuville faced his own challenges, battling technical issues following a close encounter with tipping over, which landed him in eighth position behind Josh McErlean and Sami Pajari.
Friday promises more drama with six demanding stages on the agenda, including the formidable 31.40km Camp Moran, which will test drivers both in the morning and afternoon loops.
Though sidelined early, Fourmaux remains determined as ever. He plans to jump back into the action on Friday, aiming to claw back vital points. “This rally still holds hope for scoring, even after today’s setback,” Fourmaux explained. “It’s not perfect, but we’ll push for the best possible outcome.”
Reflecting on his day’s misfortune, Fourmaux detailed, “We’re facing an electrical hurdle—the battery gave up completely. We tried giving it a push to exit the regroup and managed a temporary fix using the battery from the wheel gun.”
He continued, “We got it to run briefly, but after a mere ten seconds, it faltered again. It’s frustrating, no doubt, but that’s rallying for you.”
