The 2025 Safari Rally Kenya roared into action on Friday, and what a day it was! Elfyn Evans, currently leading the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), seized control of the race after a series of challenging events that left many drivers licking their wounds. The day was marked by the unexpected fall of front-runner Ott Tänak, who was leading comfortably until mechanical issues forced him to relinquish his position.
True to the fierce spirit of the Safari Rally, the opening day challenged every team with its rugged terrain, consisting of eight punishing gravel stages across the breathtaking expanse of the Great Rift Valley. These conditions proved too much for more than half of the Rally1 class, underscoring the rally’s notoriously tough reputation.
Initially, Tänak seemed untouchable as he dominated the early stages, winning four and almost building a minute’s lead. However, fate had other plans, as a driveshaft failure in his Hyundai i20 N Rally1 left his car struggling with only rear-wheel drive. This malfunction allowed Evans, driving the Toyota GAZOO Racing GR Yaris Rally1, to pounce. Maintaining a steady and clean performance without clinching any fastest times, Evans navigated his way to the top.
Arriving in Kenya with a noteworthy 28-point lead in the championship, the Welshman ended the day narrowly ahead of his teammate, Kalle Rovanperä. Evans’ only real scare came from a deflating rear-right tire during the final stage. Rovanperä, trailing by just 7.7 seconds, could have seen himself in the lead if not for a spin on a tightly packed section of the Kedong stage, which cost him precious time while he attempted to get his car back on track. Despite this, the Finnish driver enjoyed a relatively incident-free day.
Reflecting on the day’s events, Evans commented, “It’s been a tough day, and we’ve taken a cautious route. It’s part and parcel of the Safari – you feel tempted to take more risks and up the pace, but it’s all about remaining grounded and remembering where we are.”
Evans expressed sympathy for Tänak, saying, “It’s always a shame when mechanical issues, like Ott experienced, take you out of contention. You never can tell if it’s a result of impact or a standard failure. It was unfortunate because he was performing exceptionally well.”
The troubles weren’t restricted to Tänak alone. Reigning champ Thierry Neuville also encountered his share of headaches, starting with a one-minute penalty due to a delayed service exit for a gearbox change. Neuville also faced a jump start penalty, a debeaded tire, and another time penalty for late arrival due to a technical hiccup. Nonetheless, he managed to hold onto fourth place overnight, trailing Tänak by 36.0 seconds.
Adrien Fourmaux, after re-entering the fray thanks to restart rules following a Thursday electrical issue, encountered further misfortune. A snapped steering arm on SS7 spelled another exit for the French driver.
Meanwhile, Takamoto Katsuta of Toyota grappled with tire troubles, first early in the day and then again during the Geothermal test, leaving him over four minutes behind. His teammate, Sami Pajari, struggled with similar tire issues, while Josh McErlean, who led M-Sport Ford’s efforts, battled a host of technical problems before closing the day in seventh.
In WRC2, Kajetan Kajetanowicz claimed the top position overall after surpassing Oliver Solberg, who got mired down in a gritty section of fesh-fesh on SS7. Driving a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 for the first time, the Polish sensation managed to keep a slim lead over competitors Gus Greensmith and Jan Solans.
Looking ahead, Saturday presents a fresh set of challenges. Six more demanding stages covering 146.50 kilometers loom on the horizon, promising another action-packed day of intense rally racing.
