Elfyn Evans secured a historic victory at Safari Rally Kenya, extending his FIA World Rally Championship lead to a record-breaking 36 points after three rounds. The Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 driver, alongside co-driver Scott Martin, finished 1m9.9s ahead of Hyundai's Ott Tanak.

Evans becomes only the third British driver to win the Safari Rally, joining Colin McRae and Richard Burns in this elite group. This marks Toyota's 13th Safari Rally victory and their fifth consecutive win since the event's WRC return in 2021.

The four-day event challenged drivers with punishing conditions, including tire-destroying terrain, deep dust, and heavy rain. Despite facing tire deflations, spins, and a late electrical issue, Evans maintained his lead after taking control when early leader Tanak suffered a broken driveshaft on Friday.

Hyundai achieved its best-ever Safari Rally result with Tanak and Thierry Neuville completing the podium. Neuville finished third despite multiple setbacks, including time penalties and cooling system repairs.

Toyota's Kalle Rovanpera's hopes for a 1-2 finish ended with suspension damage on Saturday, followed by a Sunday retirement due to electrical issues. Takamoto Katsuta finished fifth after a Power Stage roll, while Sami Pajari secured fourth place in his best Rally1 result.

In WRC2, Gus Greensmith claimed victory by 3m15s in his Skoda Fabia RS Rally2, capitalizing on Jan Solans' final-day error.

Championship Standings after 3 rounds: Drivers:

1. Evans - 88 points
2. Neuville - 52
3. Tanak - 49

Manufacturers:

1. Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT - 158 points
2. Hyundai World Rally Team - 122
3. M-Sport Ford - 43

The WRC moves to Rally Islas Canarias (April 24-27) for an all-asphalt challenge on Gran Canaria.

Related Articles

Previous Articles