French rally driver Sébastien Ogier emerged victorious in a fiercely contested battle to reclaim his WRC Safari Rally title, facing stiff competition from defending champion Kalle Rovanperä of Finland.

The event, held amidst the rugged and treacherous terrain of Kenya, showcased the skill, determination, and resilience of the world's top rally drivers.

Ogier, expertly navigated by Vincent Landias, displayed exceptional driving prowess, clocking an impressive time of 3:30:42.5 to secure first place.

With a slender advantage of 6.7 seconds, he triumphed over his Finnish teammate, Rovanperä, who recorded a time of 3:30:49.2, settling for a commendable second place. Meanwhile, Elfyn Evans rounded off the podium with a time of 3:33.41.

The Toyota team dominated the competition, securing a remarkable 1-2-3-4 clean sweep, with Takamoto Katsuta finishing in fourth place with a time of 3:35:47.9. This outstanding performance showcased the team's exceptional strength and teamwork.

Read More

  1. KCB and its racing team join forces for tree planting ahead of WRC Safari Rally
  2. McRae Kimathi raring to go in FIA Junior World Rally Championship in Croatia
  3. Frenchman Sébastien Ogier wins toughest WRC Safari Rally in Kenya

Despite facing various challenges throughout the rally, Ogier expressed his elation after the hard-fought victory.

"Unbelievable! Look at that, even on the Power Stage I got a stone on the windscreen! We had a lot of issues to face but it could have been a more comfortable rally for us in terms of pace. A lot of misfortune but we brought it home," he remarked, emphasizing the team's determination to overcome adversity.

The intense competition unfolded across numerous stages, with Ogier clinching victory in an impressive seven stages. Rovanperä secured victories in five stages, while Katsuta, Ott Tanak, and Thierry Neuville topped the leaderboard in two stages each.

In total, Ogier accumulated 25 points during the rally, further bolstered by three bonus points for finishing third in the Power Stage, which was won by Neuville.

Despite falling short of victory, Rovanperä still maintains his lead in the Championship with 37 points, five points ahead of Neuville in second place.

Reflecting on his performance, Rovanperä remained positive despite the loss, acknowledging the challenges of starting first on the road.

"You always want to fight for the win, but we did our best starting first car on the road, so regarding that, I think it's not fully bad. Good points for the season anyway," he commented, emphasizing the importance of accumulating points for the overall championship.

The Kenyan drivers made a commendable impact in the rally, with Carl Tundo, alongside navigator Tim Jesspo, securing 12th place overall and third in the Rally 2 class.

Another Kenyan driver, Shaman Vohra, showcased his skill and determination, finishing 17th overall. Youngster Mcrae Kimathi, displaying promising talent, secured 19th place overall and third in the Rally 3 class, with the race being won by the sole driver Diego Dominguez.

However, the rally proved to be a challenging endeavour for some participants.

Hamzar Anwar and Jeremiah Wahome were forced to retire their cars on Saturday due to mechanical issues, highlighting the demanding nature of the sport and the unpredictability of the race.