Defending champion Kalle Rovanperä set the fastest time in the WRC Safari Rally Kenya shakedown on Wednesday, signaling a strong return to form after a challenging start to the season.
The Finnish rally driver, a two-time world champion, wasted no time showcasing his skill on the rough and rocky terrain of the first gravel test of the WRC season.
With two Safari Rally victories already under his belt, Rovanperä powered his Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 to the top, completing the 5.16km warm-up stage 1.6 seconds faster than Thierry Neuville, who finished second after improving on his final run in his Hyundai i20 N Rally1.
Ott Tänak, also driving a Hyundai, rounded out the top three, 1.9 seconds behind Rovanperä’s benchmark time.
Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta took fourth place, 3.5 seconds behind his teammate, while Adrien Fourmaux completed the top five.
Grégoire Munster led M-Sport Ford, securing sixth place in his Puma Rally1, followed closely by championship leader Elfyn Evans. Josh McErlean and Sami Pajari also made their mark, finishing in the top ten.
