Toyota GAZOO Racing reaches a milestone this week (20 – 23 March), making its 100th FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) start at Safari Rally Kenya – but there’ll be no time for easy celebrations as the African classic hosts round three of the 2025 season.
Regarded as the toughest test in WRC, Safari Rally Kenya is the first gravel event of the year and takes place in the stunning Great Rift Valley, where lions, leopards, giraffes and zebras roam just metres from the action.
There’s no more fitting place for Toyota’s century milestone. Since the Safari returned to the WRC calendar in 2021, the Japanese marque has dominated – and it arrives in Kenya in supreme form, having achieved perfect scores on the opening two rounds. But, even for the reigning champions, this year’s fixture will be anything but straightforward.
It’s a rally of extremes. Long, flat-out straights where speeds exceed 200kph are followed by deep ruts and rocky tracks that force cars to a crawl. Snorkels are a crucial addition for deep water crossings, a necessity across the 384 competitive kilometres which make it the longest route of the season.
Toyota’s Elfyn Evans leads the drivers’ standings by 28 points heading into the rally, though the Welshman is yet to conquer its unique challenge. Team-mate Kalle Rovanperä has taken two victories here, while Takamoto Katsuta has finished on the podium three times. Finnish rookie Sami Pajari also pilots a GR Yaris Rally1, running in the team’s second-string squad.
“The Safari is a unique rally with a special set of conditions to face. It’s not easy even if it’s dry, but when you add the likelihood of rain and standing water, it can be a huge challenge just to get to the end. This has been an amazing rally for the team over recent years and while it’s not perhaps been my strongest event personally, we want to aim as high as possible and challenge for the win if it’s possible.”
said Evans
Adding another layer of intrigue, Hankook’s new Dynapro R213 gravel tyre will be making its WRC debut in some of the most punishing conditions on the calendar.
Defending champion Thierry Neuville, currently fourth in the standings, is ready to play the long game, with the Belgian and his Hyundai Motorsport colleagues Ott Tänak and Adrien Fourmaux reverting to older-spec i20 N Rally1 cars for this round in pursuit of reliability.
“We need to have a clever drive. Taking care of the car and staying away from trouble will be key to that. Obviously, you need a bit of luck, but hopefully it’s going to work this year.”
insisted Neuville
British outfit M-Sport Ford fields three Puma Rally1 cars, with Grégoire Munster and Josh McErlean leading the charge alongside gentleman driver Jourdan Serderidis.
The action kicks off in Nairobi on Thursday morning before heading into 21 brutal special stages around Lakes Naivasha and Elmenteita.
The World Rally Championship (WRC) is the FIA’s premium rally series. It showcases high-performance cars and the world’s best drivers competing in dramatic surroundings, ranging from Sweden’s freezing winter to Kenya’s heat and rocky tracks. Participants battle for drivers’ and manufacturers’ titles at 14 rallies. More information can be found at www.wrc.com.