The 2025 WRC Safari Rally in Kenya delivered another unforgettable chapter in the history of this legendary endurance event as the weekend unfolded over Saturday and Sunday with drama, resilience, and remarkable performances across all categories of competition. After a relentless Friday of rock-strewn roads and tactical battles, crews rolled into Saturday determined to cement their positions or fight back from earlier setbacks. By the close of Sunday, champions had emerged, and the rally’s distinct mix of attrition and tactical mastery had reshaped championship momentum.
On Saturday, the pounding gravel and varied surfaces of the Rift Valley kept crews fully engaged from start to finish. Drivers encountered a mixture of fast-flowing tracks and tighter, technical sections, demanding a blend of aggression and precision. The day’s stages saw shifts in rhythm as competitors worked to maximise performance without yielding ground to mechanical issues or the terrain’s unpredictable nature.
A key feature of Saturday was the way it separated those who managed their cars intelligently from those who fell victim to the punishing roads. Tarmac-born speed was of limited value here; success demanded careful tyre management and an ability to read surface changes on the fly. By the time service crews regrouped in Naivasha late in the day, a clear picture had begun to form: the drivers leading the rally had shown not just speed, but the discipline to navigate an exceptionally tough itinerary with minimal damage. Entering the final leg, battle lines were drawn more distinctly than ever, with contenders knowing the final hours would test both resolve and tactical nous.
Sunday brought the drama to its peak. The stages opened early with gruelling tests that offered little margin for error, and crews had to balance the urge to hammer for position with the need to protect their cars until the rally’s conclusion. Over the final tests that wound through Kenya’s rugged terrain, several storylines played out.
Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally Team
Toyota again demonstrated its deep expertise on the demanding Safari Rally terrain, bringing home the overall win and several strong results from its four-car lineup. Elfyn Evans secured first place overall, showing a blend of speed and caution that paid off over the marathon weekend. His experience and consistency allowed him to manage the rough stages more effectively than many rivals. Team-mate Sami Pajari also impressed by finishing in fourth overall, marking a breakthrough performance in his first Safari Rally and illustrating Toyota’s strength in developing emerging talent.
However, not all Toyota efforts ended in success. Takamoto Katsuta, who had shown promising pace earlier in the rally, was forced out near the end when a half-spin led to a roll on the final power stage, underscoring just how unforgiving the Kenyan routes can be. Kalle Rovanperä similarly contested strongly until a Sunday morning electrical issue prompted his retirement, denying Toyota a potential further podium presence.
Hyundai Motorsport Team
Hyundai delivered a notable result with a double podium finish, a rare and welcome outcome given the inherent challenges of the Safari Rally. Ott Tänak battled through earlier adversity to finish second overall, cementing a solid weekend for the South Korean team. His consistency and ability to extract grip where others struggled were key to his ascent in the standings. Thierry Neuville backed up that performance by claiming third place, his first Safari Rally podium and an important points haul that kept him firmly in the championship hunt.
Hyundai’s strategy at this rally involved reverting to a proven specification of car rather than pushing newer upgrades, a decision driven by the event’s reputation for punishing reliability and service challenges. This conservative approach, prioritising durability over outright pace, arguably helped Tänak and Neuville climb steadily through the weekend’s attrition.
M-Sport Ford World Rally Team
The M-Sport camp faced a tougher weekend than some of its rivals. While the team did manage to get cars to the finish — with Grégoire Munster finishing fifth overall and Josh McErlean completing the rally in tenth — its crews were often hampered by issues ranging from exhaust and body-work damage to intermittent power losses. These setbacks made it difficult for M-Sport drivers to consistently challenge the leaders in the rough conditions.
Jourdan Serderidis, another Puma Rally1 entry, finished just outside the top positions but impressed by keeping his car running through conditions that decimated other crews. McErlean’s result underscored the team’s grit, even if podium contention remained elusive.
WRC2 Competitors
In the Rally2 class, Gus Greensmith and Jonas Andersson delivered a strong performance to win WRC2 in their Škoda Fabia RS Rally2. Their drive was measured and consistent, capitalising on rivals’ mistakes and attrition to secure a clear category victory, much like they did in last year’s Safari event. Jan Solans and Rodrigo Sanjuán brought home second in class, while Fabrizio Zaldivar and Marcelo Der Ohannesian took third, rounding out a solid result for Škoda-based entries.
Toyota’s continued success, Hyundai’s strong double podium, and the depth shown by Rally2 crews all contributed to an enthralling weekend of competition. At the finish in Hell’s Gate National Park, the winners not only celebrated trophies but also the knowledge that they had succeeded in one of rallying’s toughest arenas.
