Katsuta leads Safari Rally into final day

Japan’s Takamoto Katsuta will lead the Safari Rally Kenya into Sunday’s final leg following the cancellation of the second run of the Sleeping Warrior stage on Saturday afternoon.

Katsuta  (02:41:00)moved to the top of the overall standings earlier in the day when three of his Toyota teammates — Oliver Solberg, Sébastien Ogier and Elfyn Evans — were forced to retire after running into trouble during the first pass of the demanding Sleeping Warrior stage.

The brutal Safari conditions also claimed another major contender when Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville bowed out after suffering three punctures on SS14 Soysambu 2, bringing the number of top drivers eliminated during Saturday’s action to four.

Just as crews prepared for the second pass of one of the rally’s most feared roads, organisers called off SS16 Sleeping Warrior 2 after heavy rain left the stage severely damaged.

According to the FIA, deep water-filled ruts had developed along sections of the route, making it unsafe for rescue vehicles to access the stage in the event of an emergency.

Katsuta now heads into the final day just four stages away from a maiden World Rally Championship victory.

“It’s very stressful to drive like this,” said Katsuta. “It’s definitely easier when you are fighting for tenths of seconds.”

The Japanese driver also extended his advantage over second-placed Adrien Fourmaux by 18 seconds on SS15, as the Frenchman opted for a cautious approach to protect his Hyundai after three punishing days.

“The car has already been racing for three days,” said Fourmaux. “We need to take care of it.”

Further down the order, M-Sport Ford drivers Josh McErlean and Jon Armstrong endured a difficult afternoon with persistent engine issues and currently sit 15th and 16th overall.

Sunday’s final leg will feature four stages covering 57 kilometres, culminating in the decisive Wolf Power Stage at Hell’s Gate 2 (SS20).

The fastest five drivers across the day will also battle for additional “Super Sunday” World Rally Championship points, setting up a thrilling finale to one of the toughest editions of the Safari Rally in recent years.