In our latest WRC postcard, we review the highs, lows, turning points and close calls from SafariRallyKenya.
Safari Rally Kenya once again issued a reminder why it's still revered in global motorsport as the World Rally Championship’s toughest event, as it served up a drama-filled classic. Motorsport.com reviews the highs, lows, turning points and close calls from a gruelling African event.There are not many drivers that can overcome the many hurdles Sebastien Ogier faced at Safari Rally Kenya and still come out on top.
Three punctures on Saturday, including a double-front failure, didn't halt Ogier although he did come under increasing pressure from charging Toyota team-mate Kalle Rovanpera. Despite seeing his 32.0s lead whittled down to 8.6s, Ogier held his nerve. A small error that resulted in clipping a tree on stage 15 cost him his tailgate and rear wing, but Ogier still went on to win the stage and re-establish his buffer to Rovanpera.
The 22-year-old delivered a mature display befitting of a champion, while also showing flashes of brilliance; notably his stage 13 win when the heavens opened, creating incredibly slippery conditions that saw many of his rivals struggle. His fastest time set in the rally’s roughest test also turned heads, including Ogier's, after briefly halving the Frenchman’s lead.
This latest Safari domination was particularly sweet given Toyota headed to Kenya after a challenging Sardinia where the GR Yaris was questioned after it struggled to navigate through water splashes. “When we won this 1-2-3-4 last year I thought it was something that takes decades to [repeat] but it happened one year later," said Latvala. “What I can say is we have an excellent team of people, a reliable and strong car, and then we have the drivers who have the patience in this event to drive a clever way, which is a combination of driving fast but also slowing down for the rough places and understanding the history of this event.
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WRC Safari Rally: Ogier holds off Rovanpera to claim victory in tense finishSebastien Ogier held his nerve to beat Toyota team-mate Kalle Rovanpera to win Safari Rally Kenya following a tense finish to the World Rally Championship\u2019s most gruelling event.
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Abiteboul: WRC Safari Rally reliability issues a “wake up call” for Hyundai🗣️ 'We need to react in a strong way, but not in the same way this team has been used to reacting in the past' Hyundai WRC boss Cyril Abiteboul says SafariRallyKenya is a “wake up call” and the team will run a thorough analysis on reliability issues ⬇️
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