Safari Rally heads for final push as drivers chase Super Sunday points
British driver Elfyn Evans and British co-driver Scott Martin compete in their Toyota GR Yaris during the Concepcion stage of the WRC Rally Chile, the elventh round of the FIA World Rally Championship, on September 29, 2023 in Concepcion, Chile. (Photo by Guillermo SALGADO / AFP)
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The 2026 edition of the Safari Rally Kenya heads into a dramatic final day on Sunday with Japan’s Takamoto Katsuta holding a commanding lead after a chaotic Saturday that shook up the leaderboard.
Driving for Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT, Katsuta carries a 1 minute 25.5 seconds advantage over Hyundai’s Adrien Fourmaux into the final four stages around Naivasha, putting him within touching distance of what could be his maiden victory in the World Rally Championship.
Super Sunday format
Sunday’s action will begin with SS17 Oserengoni 1 (18.33 km) at 08:09 before crews head to SS18 Hell’s Gate 1 (10.53 km) at 09:35.
Unlike the previous edition of the rally, there will be no midday service for the competitors. Instead, crews will immediately return for the second loop beginning with SS19 Oserengoni 2 at 10:38 before a regroup ahead of the decisive final stage.
The rally will then conclude with SS20 Hell’s Gate 2, which doubles up as the Wolf Power Stage, scheduled to start at 13:15.
Double points battle
Sunday will offer drivers two opportunities to score bonus points in the championship.
The five fastest drivers across all Sunday stages will earn additional “Super Sunday” points, rewarding consistency and outright pace throughout the day.
On top of that, the top five finishers in the Wolf Power Stage will collect further championship points, setting up an intense sprint in the rally’s final kilometres.
Despite the sizeable lead, Katsuta remains cautious after witnessing several leading contenders fall out of contention during Saturday’s brutal stages.
In typical fashion, the Japanese driver first sympathised with his Toyota team-mates who were forced to retire.
“We knew it was going to be a big day, but unfortunately those difficulties happened to my team-mates. I’m very sorry for them,” Katsuta said.
“Sometimes it’s very unfair. Especially Oliver, Seb and Elfyn — they all did a super-great job over the weekend and it ended like this. I just focus on my job to bring the car back.”
Three Toyota drivers who had been in podium contention – Oliver Solberg, Sébastien Ogier and Elfyn Evans – all retired on the first pass through the Sleeping Warrior stage on Saturday.
Nine-time world champion Ogier explained that his rally ended after an alternator problem triggered by mud ingestion.
“We got the alarm on the finish line of Sleeping Warrior – alternator issue,” Ogier said.
“We tried everything on the road section to fix it, changed the belt and cleaned it, but unfortunately it wasn’t enough.”
With just four stages remaining, Katsuta’s main task will be keeping the car intact over the demanding Oserengoni tracks .
Fourmaux and the chasing pack will be pushing hard, not only for podium places but also for the valuable Super Sunday and Wolf Power Stage points that could prove decisive in the championship battle.
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