- The Kenya Safari Rally 2025 kicked off on Thursday in Naivasha and will wrap up on Sunday, providing enthusiasts with an exciting competition.
- World Rally Championship (WRC) noted the event features 10 top-level Rally1 cars and 16 WRC2 entries
- On Friday, during the second day of the rally, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT drivers Elfyn Evans and Kalle Rovanperä secured first and second place finishes respectively.
Japhet Ruto, who has accumulated over eight years of expertise in finance, business, and technology, works as an editor for INSPIRATIONS DIGITAL.co.ke. He offers perceptive insights into global and Kenyan economic patterns.
The Safari Rally stands out as one of the most exciting fixtures on the racing schedule.
Where will the 2025 Safari Rally be held?
The 2025 confrontation that started on Thursday, March 20, in Naivasha, Nakuru County, is scheduled to wrap up on Sunday, March 23.
As per the World Rally Championship (WRC), teams have to tackle treacherous river crossings, deep ruts, and vast stretches of powdery sand known as fesh-fesh. They also face rapidly changing conditions that can shift from scorching temperatures to heavy downpours.
WRC noted the rally features 10 top-level Rally1 cars and 16 WRC2 entries and is among the hardest in the world.
"Elfyn Evans, currently at the top of the championship standings, heads Toyota GAZOO Racing’s roster with a commanding lead of 28 points heading into the rally. Joining him are Takamoto Katsuta, who has secured third place in three out of his four previous Safari appearances, and Kalle Rovanperä, a double champion of the Safari event. Furthermore, Sami Pajari will be competing in a GR Yaris Rally1 as Toyota’s reserve driver," according to the WRC statement.
What are the leading cars in the Safari Rally?
1. Toyota Gazoo Yaris Rally1
On Friday, March 21, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT's Evans and Kalle Rovanperä secured first and second place respectively during the rally's second day.
Rovanperä completed the race 7.7 seconds after Evans, suggesting a remarkable performance for the squad.
Evans stated that for them, the day had been intense yet clear. Despite not always being the quickest, he expressed satisfaction at completing the day problem-free. The day proved challenging, with the beginning part of the loop being notably tough—there was a high chance of getting damaged because of the abundance of loose stones.
The sports car, priced from KSh 160 million to KSh 190 million, features a 1.6-liter inline four-cylinder direct-injection turbocharged engine.
It was created adhering to the 2022 FIA Rally1 technical specifications, including a four-wheel-drive system, enhanced safety features for both the driver and co-driver, along with a five-speed transmission.
The vehicle has a weight of 1,180 kilograms and can reach a maximum speed of 201 kilometers per hour.
2. Hyundai Motorsport i20 N Rally1
Led by Thierry Neuville, Ott Tänak, and Adrien Fourmaux, Hyundai Motorsport aimed to break Toyota’s win streak at the Safari Rally following its return to Kenya in 2021 as part of the World Rally Championship (WRC).
The South Korean-built sports car celebrated its 10-year milestone in WRC during 2024.
The all-wheel-drive car priced at €1 million (KSh 140.3 million) comes with a 1.6-liter turbocharged powerplant, a five-speed manual gearbox, and a 35mm air restrictor.
In the 2021 version, Hyundai's Tanak secured the third position.
3. M-Sport Ford - Puma Rally1
Jourdan Serderidis, Josh McErlean, and Grégoire Munster were fielded by M-Sport Ford. They piloted Puma Rally1 vehicles.
Equipped with a 1.6-liter EcoBoost engine, a 100kW electric motor, a 3.9 kWh battery pack, and a specially designed tubular T45 steel space frame chassis, the Ford Puma Hybrid Rally1 stands out as a premier vehicle in the World Rally Championship series.
The vehicle has a weight of 1,260 kilograms and can reach a maximum speed of 195 kilometers per hour. Its price is approximately $1.7 million (or KSh 220.2 million).
4. Toyota GR Yaris Rally2
Oliver Solberg, who currently holds the title of WRC2 champion, is at the forefront driving a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2. Meanwhile, Kajetan Kajetanowicz is making his first appearance in this competition with an identical car model.
Diego DomÃnguez, who regularly competes in the FIA Junior WRC, along with Jan Solans and Gus Greenssmith, are some of the prominent entrants.
Built from the GR Yaris production car, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT developed theToyota GR Yaris Rally2.
Juha Kankkunen operated the car during its initial public showing at the 2022 rally held in Japan. The car competed for the first time in the WRC2 category at the 2024 Monte Carlo Rally.
5. Who carries the Kenyan flag?
The Kenyan flag is carried high by native talents Jeremiah Wahome, Carl "Flash" Tundo, Hamza Anwar, and Karan Patel.
Following an arduous and tiring trip through the Kedong, Geothermal, Camp Moran, and Loldia loop stages in Naivasha, Tundo has emerged as the leading Kenyan driver at the midpoint of the 2025 WRC Safari Rally.
Tundo secured the seventh position in WRC2 and ranked sixteenth overall, leading the FIA African Rally Championship (ARC) category when guided by navigator Tim Jessop in a Ford Fiesta R5.
Wahome secured the second position among Kenyans, ranking 19th overall, followed by Samman Vohra, who placed 22nd and was the current Kenyan champion.
Ford Fiesta R5 was manufactured by M-Sport for the FIA R5 category, designed as a rally car derived from the Ford Fiesta ST-Line.
Naivasha hotels fully booked
Earlier, INSPIRATIONS DIGITAL.co.ke It was reported that hotel owners and various service providers in Naivasha benefited greatly following the commencement of the event.
The Kenya Tourism Board expressed hope that the rally would draw more than 100,000 visitors.
The four-day gathering drew an approximate audience of 85 million people worldwide.
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