The World Rally Championship (WRC) shifts from snow to savannah this week as Safari Rally Kenya hosts round three of the 2026 season.
Based in Naivasha, the African classic remains one of the toughest challenges in motorsport. Rough roads, hidden rocks and sudden rainstorms can turn stages into survival tests, meaning speed alone is rarely enough to secure victory.
Championship leader Elfyn Evans arrives with momentum after victory at Rally Sweden, where Toyota Gazoo Racing locked out the top four positions. The Welshman now tops the drivers’ standings by 13 points and returns to Kenya aiming to defend the win he secured here last year.
Evans will once again open the road on day one – a position that often proves less punishing on the Safari’s rough gravel than on other loose-surface events.
“It’s been an incredible start to the year for the team but we certainly can’t underestimate the challenges ahead of us, especially going into a rally like Safari,” Evans said. “It can be a really unpredictable event: you can find rocks in the middle of the road or hidden in the grass, and when it rains there can be standing water and zero grip.
“Last year’s rally was quite extreme with the weather and I was very happy to get through it and come away with the win for the first time. It won’t be an easy feat to repeat but that will be the target.”
Ogier returns to Kenya as Toyota seeks to continue unbeaten streak
Toyota has dominated since the rally returned to the championship in 2021, winning every edition in the modern era. Evans’ team-mates Oliver Solberg and Takamoto Katsuta both arrive in strong form after Sweden, where Katsuta finished runner-up to Evans for the second year running.
Sébastien Ogier also rejoins the field after skipping Sweden. The nine-time world champion has won twice in Kenya – in 2021 and 2023 – making him the most successful active driver at the event.
Hyundai Motorsport arrives in Africa seeking a turnaround after a difficult start to the campaign. The Korean manufacturer has yet to score a podium in the opening two rounds, its slowest start to a season since 2018.
Adrien Fourmaux has been Hyundai’s most consistent performer so far, while 2024 world champion Thierry Neuville will be eager to regain ground after a challenging start to the year. Esapekka Lappi completes the line-up in a third i20 N Rally1.
Toyota hotshot Sami Pajari also returns to Kenya after finishing fourth on his debut last season, while M-Sport Ford duo Jon Armstrong and Josh McErlean face their toughest assignment yet on the punishing African gravel.
20 stages, 338km of competitive kilometers
The rally itself remains steeped in history. First run in 1953 as the East African Coronation Safari, it became famous for its endurance format and unforgiving terrain long before joining the inaugural WRC calendar in 1973.
Today’s version still retains much of that spirit. Crews will tackle 20 stages covering 338km of competitive distance, including iconic tests such as Sleeping Warrior, Elmenteita and Hell’s Gate.
Action begins on Thursday with shakedown close to the Naivasha service park before the rally gets underway for real later in the day.
Safari Rally Kenya all info: LIVE timing, LIVE report, stage maps, entry list, itinerary and more!
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