Safari Rally Kenya

A mythical rally added to the list of victories!  

Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia emerged winners of the Safari Rally Kenya, as the legendary event returned to the WRC calendar this season for the first time in 19 years. The course, shorter than in the past, changed nothing of the peerless nature of this atypical rally, contested in stunning scenery, but on roads that featured both sandy stretches and some rough sections.

The French pair took the lead at the start thanks to their victory in the opening Super Special Stage, but soon encountered a setback with a damper issue that relegated them to seventh place. But while the Safari was causing mayhem in the ranks of the WRC, they put together a string of stage wins that hoisted them back onto the provisional podium. Their battle for second place with teammates Takamoto Katsuta and Dan Barritt turned into a fight for victory after the retirement of the leaders on Sunday morning, and the champions eventually had the last word with a margin of 21.8.

With the mid-season mark now passed, the Toyota GAZOO Racing crew have a 34-point advantage in the championship. Following this 53rd WRC career victory, achieved in an 18th different country and on a fifth continent, they will now head north in three weeks for another gravel rally in Estonia.

Sébastien Ogier:

"I'm delighted to add this mythical event to my list of victories! This final win just makes our experience even more beautiful in this unique event that has filled us with memories that we shall long remember. We had never set foot on the African continent before, so it was a big change of horizons for us. We spent an extraordinary week in Kenya from every point of view, beginning with the incredible welcome we were given by local people. Their enthusiasm and passion for the rally was something we would never have imagined before seeing it with our own eyes."

"As regards the race itself, we were expecting a difficult challenge and that soon proved to be the case. Its roads make the rally unique and more than ever it was necessary to conserve the car over the three days by finding a balance between attack and control. It didn't start well for us, as we had a damper issue on Friday morning. At that point, we had to accept a loss of time over the rest of the loop instead of continuing to take risks that could have led to us retiring. After seeing two big minutes disappear, we thought that the rest of the rally would be very difficult, but we never give up and on this event more than ever, that was the watchword."

"From that point on we put in a solid performance that allowed us to climb higher and higher up the placings. Although we thought a win was inconceivable, it became a possibility on Sunday and we finished the weekend battling it out with our team-mates Takamoto Katsuta and Dan Barritt. The fact that we managed the two previous days well allowed us to preserve a good pack of soft tyres for the end of the race and get the upper hand and snatch victory at the end."

"I'm very happy for Taka, who got his first podium with this second place. He really deserves it because he's made constant progress since the start of the season and showed himself to be a formidable opponent in this rally. A big bravo to him as well as to the whole of the Toyota clan for this fourth one-two finish in six races".