Action during a previous Safari Rally event/ HANDOUTThe third leg of the World Rally Championship roars into life today (Thursday) with the ceremonial flag-off set for 3 pm at the Wildlife Research and Training Institute in Naivasha.
Crews, both international and local, will be gunning for a strong showing in the iconic Safari Rally Kenya, widely regarded as the toughest rally on the WRC calendar.
The Safari Rally not only serves as the third round of the WRC season — following stops in Rallye Monte‑Carlo and Rally Sweden — but also doubles up as the opening round of the African Rally Championship (ARC) and the Kenya National Rally Championship (KNRC).
This year’s Safari introduces a significant shift in its traditional running format, with the ceremonial flag-off moved from the iconic Kenyatta International Convention Centre in Nairobi to Naivasha.
In another major change, the rally will now run over four days instead of the previous five, meaning the popular Kasarani Super Special Stage has been scrapped from the itinerary.
The 2026 edition will feature 20 punishing special stages covering approximately 350 competitive kilometres across the unforgiving Kenyan terrain. The action begins on Thursday with a 6km shakedown at the Naivasha Wildlife Sanctuary (NAWISA), allowing crews to fine-tune their machines before the first car rolls off the service park ramp at 3 pm.
Competitive action then fires up at Camp Moran, a demanding 24.5km stage, before crews tackle Mzabibu — the new rally village stage stretching roughly 9km.
Cars will then be locked into overnight parc fermé as teams prepare for the brutal days ahead. Friday presents the rally’s marathon test, featuring eight punishing stages and more than 136 competitive kilometres that will push crews, machinery and endurance to their absolute limits. Saturday takes competitors deep into the vast savannah of the Delamere Ranch for six stages spanning 123 kilometres.
Drivers will battle through Soysambu, Elementaita and Sleeping Warrior, each run twice in what promises to be a relentless afternoon of dust, rocks and high-speed drama.
Sunday’s finale will offer a spectacular curtain call against some of East Africa’s most dramatic landscapes as crews make their final push to the podium. Defending champions Toyota Gazoo Racing have unleashed a formidable line-up that includes current WRC championship leader Elfyn Evans, Oliver Solberg, eight-time world champion Sébastien Ogier, Takamoto Katsuta and rising youngster Sami Pajari.
Their closest rivals Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team, will counter with Adrien Fourmaux, Thierry Neuville and Esapekka Lappi. Meanwhile, M‑Sport Ford World Rally Team will rely on Joshua McErlean, Jon Armstrong and Romet Jürgenson to fly the blue oval flag in the Kenyan classic.
Evans arrives in Naivasha sitting atop the championship standings with 60 points after finishing second in Monte Carlo and claiming victory in Sweden. Solberg sits second on 47 points, while Katsuta occupies third place with 30, completing a Toyota stranglehold at the top of the standings.
Evans, who is chasing a maiden world title, believes the Safari could prove crucial in his championship ambitions. “The championship is the ultimate goal. All we really need over the weekend is to have a strong performance,” Evans said.
On the local front, Kenya will look to rally legend Carl Tundo, two-time African champion Karan Patel, and reigning WRC3 Safari Rally champion Nikhil Sachania to lead the home charge.
Also in the mix are last year’s ARC runner-up Samman Vohra, Lisa Christoffersen, Sameer Nanji, Evans Nzioka, Andrew Muiruri, Ishmael Azeli, Tinashe Gatimu, Pauline Sheghu, Jeremiah Wahome and Jasmeet Chana.
There is also a strong cast of African drivers, including reigning African champion Yasin Nasser and Oscar Ntambi, as well as Queen Kalimpinya, Christian Kanangire and Jean Claude.
Patel is confident that he and his co-driver, Tauseef Khan, can challenge for top honours in the national classification. “We hope we have what it takes to bring it to the top position among our fellow Kenyans,” he said.
With a gruelling 20 stages packed into four days, Patel believes consistency will be the ultimate weapon. “Consistency and smart driving will be key. We respect the level of competition in WRC2, but we are ready to give it our all on home soil.”
Young rally driver Gatimu is banking on her newly acquired Ford Fiesta R2 for a strong performance on both the national and African circuits.
“The aim is to finish the rally and also get good results in the opening round of the ARC as we target the ARC4 crown,” she said.
For Sachania, defending his WRC3 crown while bringing the car home in one piece remains the ultimate objective. “We are aiming to defend our title this year. The competition is strong, and we know it won’t be easy,” Sachania said. “Above all, our primary objective is to complete the rally.”
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