Takamoto Katsuta and co-driver Aaron Johnston etched their names into rallying history on Sunday after securing an emotional maiden victory in the FIA World Rally Championship at the legendary Safari Rally Kenya. Competing in his 94th WRC start, Katsuta became the first Japanese driver to win a WRC round since Kenjiro Shinozuka triumphed at the Rallye Cote d’Ivoire in 1992. The result carried extra emotion for the Toyota driver, as the same African rally was where he celebrated his first WRC podium back in 2021.
The foundation for Katsuta’s historic triumph was built during a weekend of extreme attrition that decimated much of the Rally1 field. The decisive moment arrived on Saturday morning across the notoriously demanding Sleeping Warrior stage and the road section that followed.
Up until that point, Toyota Gazoo Racing had looked firmly in control with a dominant 1-2-3 lockout. However, the brutal Kenyan terrain soon began to bite. Championship leader Elfyn Evans was the first casualty, retiring mid-stage with terminal rear-right suspension damage. Just minutes later the rally was dramatically turned on its head on the liaison back to the Naivasha service park when rally leader Oliver Solberg was halted by a clutch failure, while team-mate Sébastien Ogier saw his charge ended by an electrical issue.
As rivals dropped away in the Safari’s trademark chaos, Katsuta kept a cool head and guided his Toyota through the punishing terrain to the finish. Among those present to witness the historic moment was William Ruto, President of Kenya, who personally presented the winner’s trophy at the finish ceremony.
Behind him, Adrien Fourmaux delivered a composed drive to secure second overall and claim the 10th WRC podium of his career for Hyundai Motorsport. The Frenchman and his team-mates battled severe overheating problems across the rally but managed to bring the car home after a disciplined performance.
Young Finnish star Sami Pajari rounded out the podium after a gritty drive in his Toyota GR Yaris Rally1. Pajari suffered a high-speed tyre failure on Saturday which caused significant bodywork damage and cost him around five minutes, but he managed the remaining stages carefully to secure back-to-back podium finishes.
Esapekka Lappi finished fourth after a difficult rally plagued by heavy understeer and several punctures. Completing an impressive overall result, Estonia’s Robert Virves guided his Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 to WRC2 victory and an outstanding fifth place overall.
While Katsuta focused on safely managing his lead, Solberg, Ogier and Evans all returned under restart rules on Sunday to fight for the valuable Super Sunday and Wolf Power Stage points. Solberg responded strongly to Saturday’s disappointment, winning the Wolf Power Stage by 2.8 seconds over Ogier to claim the maximum bonus points.
Despite his retirement from second overall on Saturday, Evans’ strong pace on Sunday ensured he retains the drivers’ championship lead with 66 points.
In the WRC2 category, Robert Virves delivered an outstanding performance on his Safari Rally Kenya debut to secure victory and finish an impressive fifth overall. The Estonian mastered one of the most punishing rallies in recent WRC memory, guiding his Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 through the demanding Kenyan terrain to claim his second career WRC2 win.
Virves’ victory was shaped during Saturday’s brutal leg when early leader Gus Greensmith ran into trouble. The Briton had initially set the pace in his Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 but dropped behind Virves after suffering a gearbox issue. Greensmith fought back to close the gap to just 17.2 seconds before a puncture handed Virves a comfortable 55.3-second lead heading into the final day.
“I must say it feels amazing,” smiled Virves at the finish. “I wasn’t a big fan of coming here, but I think we experienced the proper Safari and to come through with no issues… incredible effort by the team and everyone else.”
Fabrizio Zaldívar secured third place to claim back-to-back Safari Rally Kenya podium finishes after fending off a late challenge from Andreas Mikkelsen while also overcoming a 10-second penalty. Mikkelsen eventually finished fourth on his Safari debut, while Diego Domínguez completed the top five despite battling an engine misfire earlier in the rally to secure a career-best WRC2 result.
The FIA World Rally Championship now switches from gravel to asphalt next month with the return of the Croatia Rally, scheduled from 9–12 April along the spectacular Adriatic coast.
