The gruelling Kenyan WRC event got underway on Wednesday morning with the shakedown session. Right from the start, it was confirmed that the WRC stars would be staging a protest against the FIA during the event.
The demonstration stems from Hyundai driver Adrien Fourmaux’s fine, which he received for using a swear word in a finish-line interview at Rally Sweden. In Kenya, the drivers are either refusing to give any comments at all or speaking only in their native language in live TV interviews after special stages.
Read more: WRC drivers carry out their protest – silence at Safari Rally
Toyota driver Rovanperä set the fastest time on his very first run of the stage. The two-time Safari Rally winner ultimately beat second-placed Thierry Neuville by 1.6 seconds.
Behind Rovanperä, the entire Hyundai trio was tightly packed, with Ott Tänak finishing third (+1.9s) and Fourmaux fourth (+2.2s). Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta secured fifth place (+3.5s), while M-Sport Ford’s Grégoire Munster was sixth (+5.2s).
Championship leader Elfyn Evans ended up in seventh place after his opening run. He was followed by M-Sport Ford’s Josh McErlean, WRC2 driver Oliver Solberg, and Toyota rookie Sami Pajari.
Safari Rally Kenya will get fully underway on Thursday with two special stages. The opening super special stage will take place in Nairobi before the rally caravan heads to the Mzabibu stage, a new test measuring just over eight kilometres, before returning to the Naivasha service park.
The Kenyan WRC round, which concludes on Sunday, consists of 21 special stages covering a total distance of over 380 kilometres.
Safari Rally Kenya, shakedown results:
| POS | Driver | Car | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Kalle Rovanperä | Toyota | 4:34.5 |
| 2. | Thierry Neuville | Hyundai | +1.6 |
| 3. | Ott Tänak | Hyundai | +1.9 |
| 4. | Adrien Fourmaux | Hyundai | +2.2 |
| 5. | Takamoto Katsuta | Toyota | +3.5 |
| 6. | Gregoire Munster | Ford | +5.2 |
| 7. | Elfyn Evans | Toyota | +6.3 |
| 8. | Joshua McErlean | Ford | +9.7 |
| 9. | Oliver Solberg | Toyota | +12.6 |
| 10. | Sami Pajari | Toyota | +14.0 |
Safari Rally Kenya, itinerary (CET):
Wednesday, 19 March
08:01 Shakedown: Sleeping Warrior SEZ (5.16 km)
Thursday, 20 March
11:05 SS1: Super Special Kasarani (4.76 km)
14:43 SS2: Mzabibu 1 (8.27 km)
Friday, 21 March
05:13 SS3: Camp Moran 1 (31.40 km)
06:51 SS4: Loldia 1 (19.11 km)
08:04 SS5: Kengen Geothermal 1 (13.18 km)
08:57 SS6: Kedong 1 (15.10 km)
09:52 Service break (40 min)
11:30 SS7: Camp Moran 2 (31.40 km)
13:08 SS8: Loldia 2 (19.11 km)
14:21 SS9: Kengen Geothermal 2 (13.18 km)
15:14 SS10: Kedong 2 (15.10 km)
Saturday, 22 March
06:35 SS11: Sleeping Warrior 1 (26.97 km)
07:35 SS12: Elmenteita 1 (17.31 km)
08:33 SS13: Soysambu 1 (28.97 km)
10:59 Service break (40 min)
13:05 SS14: Sleeping Warrior 2 (26.97 km)
14:05 SS15: Elmenteita 2 (17.31 km)
15:03 SS16: Soysambu 2 (28.97 km)
Sunday, 23 March
04:42 SS17: Mzabibu 2 (8.27 km)
05:53 SS18: Oserengoni 1 (18.33 km)
07:05 SS19: Hell's Gate 1 (10.53 km)
08:18 Service break (15 min)
09:56 SS20: Oserengoni 2 (18.33 km)
12:15 SS21: Hell's Gate 2 (10.53 km) *Power Stage
