In the Kenya Safari Rally, Oliver Solberg has achieved a significant initial advantage over his Toyota teammate, Elfyn Evans, coming out as the favorite after an episode of extreme weather.
Solberg, winner of the Monte Carlo rally, closed the first day with a 33.3 seconds lead over Evans, while the reigning world champion, Sébastien Ogier, was 1 minute and 5.1 seconds behind after just two stages.
The bulk of this difference came in the first stage, Camp Moran (24.35 km), which was marked by intense rain, further complicating the already muddy conditions. Solberg, second in the starting order, made an impressive comeback, posting a time 30 seconds faster than Evans, who struggled with poor visibility due to the condensation on his car’s windshield.
“I can’t believe we are in this situation again; I couldn’t see anything. The water was a bit of help at the end, but I couldn’t see anything,” Evans commented on his experience.
Despite the difficulties, Solberg reflected on his lead: “Thirty seconds ahead of Elfyn and a minute ahead of Seb was a surprise. It was very difficult, and I tried to use the splashes of water as if they were windshield washer fluid.”
The Toyota drivers dominated the standings, occupying the top five positions, with Takamoto Katsuta in fourth place despite complications with the intercom, leaving him without navigation notes. Sami Pajari placed fifth, while Thierry Neuville, the best Hyundai driver, was in sixth position, with a time 3.1 seconds slower than Pajari.
Neuville commented on the harsh conditions: “We needed a boat, a cart or something, but not a rally car. I was cautious, as you never know what’s around a corner or when braking.”
The situation changed radically in the second stage, Mzabibu, where the weather improved, providing clear skies and drier roads for the race. Ogier managed to win this stage with a time 0.4 seconds faster than Pajari, while Solberg extended his lead over Evans by 3.3 seconds.
However, the extremely high temperatures took a toll on several Rally1 vehicles, including those from Hyundai, which suffered overheating issues. The situation forced a slowdown to avoid further damage to the vehicles.
As the day progressed, the competing teams must be prepared for a total of eight stages covering 125 kilometers on Friday.
