Solberg and Ogier stop, Katsuta takes lead

Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta has moved into the Safari Rally Kenya lead after Oliver Solberg and Sebastien Ogier were forced to stop on the road section coming back to service.

Solberg had navigated through a tricky morning loop of stages with a 42.6s lead over Ogier, but the Toyota team-mates both ground to a halt on their way back to the midday service. Both drivers suffered broken alternators likely inflicted by the roughness of the stages.

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It proved to be a difficult morning for Toyota as Elfyn Evans was forced to retire from a WRC round for the first time since Greece 2024, with a damaged right-rear suspension.

As a result, Katsuta who ended the loop sitting in third, 1m33.6s behind Solberg, has now vaulted into a 1m07.5s lead over Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville. Katsuta is now in a prime position to claim his maiden WRC win.

Hyundai’s Adrien Fourmaux has moved to third, 0.7s behind Neuville, with team-mate Esapekka Lappi in fourth.

“The last stage was quite muddy and rough, and the mud went into the engine side and broke the alternators for both of them [Solberg and Ogier],” said Toyota deputy team principal Juha Kankkunen.

Oliver Solberg, Elliott Edmondson, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1

Photo by: Toyota Racing

“Oliver has also a little bit of a transmission problem as well, and Elfyn, we know what happened to him already so it hasn’t been the best morning. Taka is still leading but in that case we are ok but that is Safari. That can happen.

“I mean, I have been in Kenya so many times that it doesn’t surprise me when something like that happens. The conditions have been really tough and, let’s say, the cars should be built for that. But in those muddy conditions it can go everywhere.

“Water is not that bad, but the stiff mud sticks everywhere and that can cause problems. It went into the alternator and broke the pulley, let’s say, and things all get stuck.”

Crews will tackle a repeat of the stages this afternoon to complete Saturday’s leg.