Additionally they supplied the workforce with a victory to mark its a centesimal begin within the WRC since its debut in 2017: the 53rd win and 123rd podium consequence that the workforce has achieved in that point.
Alongside an prolonged distance of 238 aggressive miles, the Kenyan levels proved to be notably demanding this yr with the rocky terrain posing a excessive danger of harm to tyres and automobiles, and moist climate making Saturday’s levels particularly treacherous.
Whereas rivals confirmed extra pace on the rally’s first full day on Friday, the extra measured method of Toyota and Evans paid off, and he led team-mate Kalle Rovanperä by 7.7 seconds on the finish of the day. Persevering with to keep away from main bother regardless of the circumstances, Evans’ benefit grew to nearly two minutes by the tip of Saturday, permitting him to take a safety-first method to the ultimate 5 levels on Sunday, and safe victory with 1 minute 9.9s nonetheless in hand.
Successive victories in Sweden and Kenya imply Evans now leads the drivers’ championship by 36 factors after three rounds. He and Martin have been joined on the rostrum by Deputy Staff Principal, Juha Kankkunen, who acquired one other Safari successful trophy 40 years after scoring his maiden WRC win as a driver on the exact same occasion with Toyota. This newest win extends Toyota’s all-time file on the occasion to 13 victories.
Rovanperä began the ultimate day in fifth general after sustaining suspension injury throughout Saturday afternoon, and was finally pressured to retire as a consequence of {an electrical} situation on the highway part in the direction of SS18. After a battling efficiency, fourth-placed Takamoto Katsuta took up the push for extra factors on the ultimate day, successful two levels to maneuver inside 0.3s of the lead within the Tremendous Sunday classification forward of the rally-ending Energy Stage. Sadly, he would roll close to the beginning of the stage, and though he managed to proceed to complete the stage in fifth general, the injury to his automotive meant he needed to retire earlier than reaching the ultimate time management.
Sami Pajari gained fourth place general on the end of his first ever Safari Rally Kenya following a powerful and mature drive through which he prevented main bother and gained vital new expertise.
Quotes:
Akio Toyoda (TGR-WRT Chairman)
“Elfyn and Scott, congratulations in your victory! Their victory has introduced the workforce three consecutive wins this season and a fifth straight win on the Safari Rally Kenya. Additionally, they introduced Juha, who was on-site as Deputy Staff Principal this time, to the rostrum. As a long-time rally fan, I wished Juha to face on the rostrum once more on the Safari Rally, so I’m grateful to them for making that occur.
We have been in a position to win the rally because of Elfyn and Scott, however the roads in Kenya have been as difficult as ever. It wasn’t a straightforward victory. We approached Kenya with thorough preparations primarily based on 4 years of expertise there. Nevertheless, this yr we confronted new challenges as soon as once more. So many issues occurred up till the final day and the final stage. I want we may have made it simpler for Elfyn and Scott to win. I wished to let Kalle and Jonne drive till the tip. I wished Takamoto and Aaron to complete the rally with a powerful consequence and I wished to offer Sami and Marko extra alternatives to showcase their expertise.
We get excited each time we encounter a highway that reminds us, ‘there isn’t any finish to ever-better automotive making’. Beginning tomorrow, everybody within the workforce will work on enhancing the GR Yaris Rally1 to make it simpler to drive and stronger. And these enhancements will lengthen past rally automobiles to all Toyota autos working world wide. The roads of Kenya made us reaffirm the importance of taking part in rallies as a automotive producer. To all of the workforce members, let’s work onerous to create ever-better automobiles from tomorrow, and let’s benefit from the competitors with our rivals!”
Juha Kankkunen (Deputy Staff Principal)
“I’m actually glad that we managed to win the a centesimal WRC rally for the workforce, and that I may rejoice one other Toyota win on the Safari Rally, 40 years after my first victory right here. It actually introduced tears to my eyes. Among the many modern-day, shorter Safari rallies, this was completely the hardest one I’ve seen. There have been a whole lot of issues taking place on a regular basis, so I used to be much more nervous following it than I ever was once I was driving myself. We have been perhaps just a little bit unfortunate in comparison with earlier years, particularly on this closing day, however an important factor is that we managed to win this rally for Toyota as soon as once more. It was a very good job from Elfyn and Scott, who’ve made a unbelievable begin to the season.”
Elfyn Evans (Driver automotive 33)
“It’s superb to have gained this rally. It’s not fairly sunk in absolutely but however the Safari Rally is a particular occasion to win. An enormous effectively achieved to the workforce, who work very onerous to offer us an incredible automotive, and I’m proud to be a really small a part of Toyota’s nice historical past on this rally. It’s been a massively demanding weekend, in all probability probably the most excessive Safari we’ve seen since we’ve been coming right here, and the climate added an additional twist on Saturday. It was not straightforward to handle the ultimate day, having fairly a giant lead and needing to carry it house. There was the temptation of additional factors to play for on Sunday, however within the circumstances it was necessary to get the automotive to the end, and I’m very glad on the finish of it.”
Kalle Rovanperä (Driver automotive 69)
“It has been a troublesome weekend however we hoped to nonetheless attempt to take some good factors from the ultimate day. Every part was superb within the first stage this morning however on the highway part to the subsequent stage, we began to see some electrical points on the automotive. We tried to repair them however we couldn’t make it occur in the long run and we needed to retire from the rally. It’s actually disappointing to depart with none factors, however we are going to go once more within the subsequent rally.”
Takamoto Katsuta (Driver automotive 18)
“I’m devastated to finish the rally on this manner. Close to the beginning of the Energy Stage we had a half spin, we caught the within financial institution after which we began to roll. It was a really surprising factor and I don’t know precisely what occurred. It has been a really troublesome rally and naturally I needed to attempt to push, and this type of factor can all the time occur. However I’m simply very, very sorry for the workforce.”
Sami Pajari (Driver automotive 5)
“It’s actually a giant aid to cross the end line, which was our solely plan for the entire rally. It has been fairly a protracted week, from the recce and thru 4 days of rallying. It may be fairly exhausting however we managed it fairly effectively. There have been no massive errors or points, which is strictly what we wished from this occasion, so I may be tremendous happy with that. I’m glad for the workforce to have gained this rally as soon as once more and with the expertise we gained right here, we may be even stronger subsequent time.”
PROVISIONAL FINAL CLASSIFICATION, SAFARI RALLY KENYA
1 Elfyn Evans/Scott Martin (Toyota GR YARIS Rally1) 4h20m03.8s
2 Ott Tänak/Martin Järveoja (Hyundai i20 N Rally1) +1m09.9s
3 Thierry Neuville/Martijn Wydaeghe (Hyundai i20 N Rally1) +3m32.0s
4 Sami Pajari/Marko Salminen (Toyota GR YARIS Rally1) +7m18.7s
5 Grégoire Munster/Louis Louka (Ford Puma Rally1) +11m35.3s
6 Gus Greensmith/Jonas Andersson (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2) +14m11.6s
7 Jan Solans/Rodrigo Sanjuán (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2) +17m26.6s
8 Jourdan Serderidis/Frédéric Miclotte (Ford Puma Rally1) +28m45.5s
9 Fabrizio Zaldivar/Marcelo Der Ohannesian (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2) +35m38.8s
10 Josh McErlean/Eoin Treacy (Ford Puma Rally1) +37m15.8s
Retired Takamoto Katsuta/Aaron Johnston (Toyota GR YARIS Rally1)
Retired Kalle Rovanperä/Jonne Halttunen (Toyota GR YARIS Rally1)
(Outcomes as of 18:00 on Sunday, for the most recent outcomes please go to www.wrc.com)
2025 FIA World Rally Championship for drivers after spherical 3:
1 Elfyn Evans 88 factors
2 Thierry Neuville 52
3 Ott Tänak 49
4 Sébastien Ogier 33
5 Adrien Fourmaux 31
6 Kalle Rovanperä 31
7 Takamoto Katsuta 25
8 Sami Pajari 19
9 Grégoire Munster 16
10 Mārtiņš Sesks 8
2025 FIA World Rally Championship for producers after spherical 3:
1 TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Staff 148 factors
2 Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Staff 122
3 M-Sport Ford World Rally Staff 47
4 TOYOTA GAZOO Racing WRT2 25
What’s subsequent?
Rally Islas Canarias (24 – 27 April) is new to the WRC for 2025, going down on asphalt roads throughout the island of Gran Canaria and marks a return to Spanish territory for the primary time since 2022. An abrasive floor, consisting partly of volcanic lava, ought to provide excessive grip.
ENDS
