Elfyn Evans secured a commanding victory at the 2025 Safari Rally Kenya, marking his first back-to-back wins in the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC). The Welsh Toyota driver expertly managed the challenging terrain to beat Estonia’s Ott Tänak by 1m09.9s, while Belgian world champion Thierry Neuville finished third, securing Hyundai’s first-ever double podium in Africa.
Evans Extends Championship Lead
Despite Neuville and Tänak scoring more Super Sunday and Power Stage bonus points, Evans increased his championship lead to 36 points over Neuville, with Tänak trailing by another three. Two-time world champion Kalle Rovanperä of Finland sits 57 points behind after being forced to retire on Sunday due to an electrical failure in his Toyota.
In the manufacturers’ standings, Toyota’s lead over Hyundai was cut to 26 points after Hyundai outscored them by 22 points in Kenya.
How Evans Secured Victory
Evans’ path to victory was relatively smooth by Safari Rally standards. A 360-degree spin and an intercom failure on Friday were his only real issues, but he managed them well to maintain his lead.
“I want to say thank you to everyone in Kenya for a very warm welcome and an amazing rally,” said Evans. “A huge well done to the team, they did a great job, and I’m proud to be a very small part of Toyota’s history at this special rally.”
Tänak, the 2019 WRC champion, initially led on Friday but suffered a setback when his Hyundai’s driveshaft broke. However, he fought back as problems for Rovanperä—who had to drive two Saturday stages with broken suspension—allowed Tänak to secure second place.
Neuville’s Eventful Weekend
Belgium’s Neuville endured a tough start to his rally, leaving Friday morning service six minutes late due to urgent transmission and driveshaft repairs, incurring a one-minute time penalty. A jump-start penalty cost him another 10 seconds, and a further 50-second penalty came from a delay caused by clearing his air filter of Kenya’s fine fech-fech dust. To add to his troubles, he spent most of Friday night unwell, which impacted his performance.
Despite these challenges, Neuville recovered well to finish third, securing valuable points for his championship bid.
Heartbreak for Katsuta in Final Stage
Japan’s Takamoto Katsuta looked set to finish fourth and maintain his impressive record of top-four finishes at every Safari Rally he had entered. However, while pushing for Power Stage bonus points, he rolled his Toyota, losing three minutes and dropping behind Finland’s Sami Pajari.
Though spectators managed to roll his car back onto its wheels, the damage was too severe, forcing him to retire.
“I don’t know what happened,” a devastated Katsuta admitted. “Just sorry for the team, nothing else.”
Other Notable Performances
M-Sport Ford’s Grégoire Munster of Luxembourg finished fifth, though not without drama. His Puma Rally1 suffered a sudden loss of speed on Sunday morning, forcing an urgent gearbox change.
With the 2025 WRC season intensifying, Evans’ victory in Kenya solidifies his position as the championship leader, while Toyota and Hyundai continue to battle fiercely in the manufacturers’ standings. The next rally promises more high-stakes action as the season unfolds.
Also Read:Neuville leads super Sunday as Evans closes in on Safari Rally victory
