Elfyn Evans Leads Safari Rally Kenya; Challenging Day for Competitors

Elfyn Evans leads the Safari Rally Kenya heading into the final day with a nearly two-minute advantage. Kalle Rovanpera’s challenge faded amid difficulties, while Josh McErlean slipped to 13th. Thierry Neuville occupies third place amidst his own challenges, with five stages remaining.

Elfyn Evans, the championship leader from Toyota, heads into the final day of the Safari Rally Kenya with an impressive lead of nearly two minutes over Hyundai’s Ott Tanak. Teammate Kalle Rovanpera’s competitive edge weakened during a chaotic Saturday, which also saw Ireland’s Josh McErlean fall to 13th place overall.

Initially, McErlean and his co-driver Eoin Treacy entered Saturday’s stages in seventh position, but they faced obstacles similar to those on Friday. After encountering a broken steering arm in the day’s opening stage, McErlean slid to 15th position. Nevertheless, he demonstrated resilience by achieving the second-fastest time on stage 15, trailing only fellow M-Sport teammate Grégoire Munster.

On Saturday, Elfyn Evans began the day narrowly ahead of Rovanpera by 7.7 seconds. He dominated the initial two stages, ultimately finishing the day with an impressive lead of one minute and 57.4 seconds over Tanak. If Evans can navigate the final stages without incident, he is on the verge of securing his first win at the Safari Rally.

“It’s definitely been a proper Safari so far,” commented 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.” Meanwhile, Hyundai’s reigning champion Thierry Neuville found himself in third place, trailing more than four and a half minutes behind the leader, following a series of punctures and visibility issues. Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta, paired with Irish co-driver Aaron Johnston, secured fourth place.

“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 we were rewarded with third place overnight,” Neuville stated. He further described the conditions: “Those were some extreme conditions this afternoon — I haven’t seen anything like it in my career.” Rovanpera’s chance for victory diminished due to a front-right tyre delamination and a subsequent front-left puncture. The challenging rainy conditions in the afternoon also resulted in rear suspension damage and pushed him back to fifth overall, as he now looks towards Sunday’s final day featuring five more stages.

In summary, Elfyn Evans maintains a commanding lead in the Safari Rally Kenya, heading into the final stages with a notable advantage. While teammate Kalle Rovanpera’s hopes were dashed amidst difficult conditions, Josh McErlean displayed commendable determination despite setbacks. The final day promises further challenges, underscoring the unpredictability of rally racing in Kenya.

Original Source: www.rte.ie