The 2026 edition of the legendary Safari Rally Kenya burst into life in Naivasha with extremely challenging conditions greeting crews across the opening two stages, Camp Moran and Mzabibu.
Muddy sections, hidden rocks and deep water crossings immediately tested the field as Toyota Gazoo Racing established early control of the rally on the demanding gravel roads.
Championship leaders Elfyn Evans and co-driver Scott Martin were first on the road and faced the difficult task of sweeping the stages.
Evans described the conditions as extremely tough, noting that visibility was poor in several sections while grip levels varied significantly.
Despite the difficult start, the Welshman managed to complete the stages safely and remains in the fight as the rally continues.
However, it was Oliver Solberg and co-driver Elliott Edmondson who delivered the standout performance of the day.
Solberg surged into the rally lead with a combined time of 30:18.8, finishing more than thirty seconds ahead of Evans after the opening stages.
Solberg was particularly impressive on the rain-soaked 24.35 km Camp Moran stage, where he set the fastest time of 22:56.2.
Starting second on the road did not hinder his pace as he handled the slippery conditions with confidence to secure the early advantage.
Nine-time world champion Sébastien Ogier ended the day in third position, 1:05.1 behind Solberg.
The experienced French driver adopted a measured approach through the demanding stages, focusing on maintaining consistency and avoiding mistakes during the early part of the rally.
Despite facing communication problems, Takamoto Katsuta and co-driver Aaron Johnston managed to secure fourth position.
A faulty intercom meant the crew had to complete the stage without proper pacenote communication, making their result particularly notable under such challenging conditions.
Young Finnish driver Sami Pajari completed a strong showing for Toyota by finishing fifth overall, 2:06.4 behind the rally leader, further strengthening the manufacturer’s dominance in the early stages.
While Toyota enjoyed a strong start, the crews from the Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team faced a more difficult opening day.
Thierry Neuville, who had been fastest during shakedown, lost over two minutes due to difficult conditions and overheating problems caused by mud clogging the radiators.
Teammates Adrien Fourmaux and Esapekka Lappi also dropped significant time after struggling through the demanding terrain.
Elsewhere, Jon Armstrong impressed by finishing seventh overall in the Ford Puma Rally1, while fellow Irish driver Josh McErlean encountered difficulties including overheating issues that affected his pace.
Ugandan crews are also battling the tough Kenyan terrain. Yasin Nasser and co-driver Ali Katumba currently sit 21st overall and fourth in the ARC category, trailing the rally leader by 17 minutes and 55 seconds after the opening two stages.
Oscar Ntambi, navigated by Asuman Mohammad, lies 26th overall, roughly twenty minutes behind the leader.
It was a difficult start for Duncan Mubiru and co-driver Joseph Kamya, whose campaign was interrupted after getting stuck in the muddy conditions of Camp Moran, forcing the crew to retire from the day’s action.
They remain hopeful of restarting under rally regulations. Meanwhile, another Ugandan entry led by Timothy Gawaya did not appear in the day’s stage results.
With Toyota occupying the top positions after the opening stages, the rally has already begun to take shape.
However, with many demanding stages still to come, the Safari Rally Kenya remains one of the most unpredictable events on the World Rally Championship calendar.
Top 10 After Opening Stages
- Oliver Solberg / Elliott Edmondson (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) – 30m18.6s
- Elfyn Evans / Scott Martin (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) +33.3s
- Sébastien Ogier / Vincent Landais (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) +1m05.1s
- Takamoto Katsuta / Aaron Johnston (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) +1m15.3s
- Sami Pajari / Marko Salminen (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) +2m06.4s
- Thierry Neuville / Martijn Wydaeghe (Hyundai i20 N Rally1) +2m21.9s
- Jon Armstrong / Shane Byrne (Ford Puma Rally1) +2m32.2s
- Adrien Fourmaux / Alexandre Coria (Hyundai i20 N Rally1) +2m38.1s
- Esapekka Lappi / Enni Mälkönen (Hyundai i20 N Rally1) +2m52.9s
- Gus Greensmith / Jonas Andersson (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2) +3m42.5s