Elfyn Evans leads the Safari Rally Kenya with a nearly two-minute advantage over Ott Tanak, as Kalle Rovanpera struggles. Josh McErlean fell to 13th after mechanical issues but showed resilience. Thierry Neuville occupies third place but is significantly behind the leader. The final day features five stages, with unpredictable conditions affecting competitors’ performances.
Elfyn Evans, the leader of the Toyota championship team, will enter the final day of the Safari Rally Kenya with a substantial advantage of nearly two minutes over Hyundai’s Ott Tanak. Teammate Kalle Rovanpera’s chances diminished on a chaotic Saturday, during which Ireland’s Josh McErlean fell back to 13th place overall.
McErlean and co-driver Eoin Treacy started Saturday’s stages in seventh position, yet faced adversity as they had to repair a broken steering arm early in the day, which dropped them to 15th. Despite this setback, the Derry native demonstrated resilience by achieving the second fastest time on stage 15, trailing only Grégoire Munster from M-Sport.
Evans began the day with a slim lead of 7.7 seconds over Rovanpera but gained momentum by winning the opening two stages, ultimately finishing the day one minute and 57.4 seconds ahead of Tanak. He is poised for a potential first victory at the Safari Rally, emphasizing caution in his pursuit of success. “It’s definitely been a proper Safari so far,” remarked Evans. “Two minutes: Normally you would say that guarantees you a win but not here. On a rally like Kenya, you have to weigh up the risk factor.”
Thierry Neuville, Hyundai’s reigning champion, holds third place but trails the leader by more than four and a half minutes, hindered by punctures and visibility issues due to misted windscreens. Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta, accompanied by Irish co-driver Aaron Johnston, currently occupies the fourth position. Neuville commented, “I wasn’t feeling well at all after a bad night and struggled to keep my concentration and do my job, but we kept fighting and were rewarded with third place overnight. Those were some extreme conditions this afternoon — I haven’t seen anything like it in my career.”
Rovanpera’s pursuit of the lead was thwarted by a delaminated front-right tire, followed by a front-left puncture. The rain-soaked afternoon conditions inflicted damage to his rear suspension, causing him to slip to fifth overall. The final day of competition features five additional stages awaiting the drivers.
In conclusion, Elfyn Evans leads the Safari Rally Kenya with a commanding lead as chaos unfolded for fellow competitors, notably Josh McErlean and Kalle Rovanpera. While Evans is positioned for a potential victory, the unpredictable nature of the rally highlights the continuous risks present in the sport. As the event enters its concluding stages, notable challenges await the drivers, particularly with changing weather conditions influencing their performance.
Original Source: www.rte.ie
