Katsuta Makes History With Emotional Maiden WRC Victory at Safari Rally Kenya
By Mwambazi Lawrence
History was made today at the legendary Safari Rally Kenya as Takamoto Katsuta and co-driver Aaron Johnston secured an emotional maiden victory in the FIA World Rally Championship. Competing in his 94th WRC start, Katsuta became the first Japanese driver to win a WRC round since Kenjiro Shinozuka triumphed at the Rallye Côte d’Ivoire in 1992. The result carried extra meaning for Katsuta, as the African classic was also the rally where he achieved his first WRC podium back in 2021.
As always, the Safari Rally did not simply hand out victory it demanded survival first. What began as a comfortable 1-2-3 lockout for Toyota Gazoo Racing quickly turned into a mechanical survival test that left engineers scratching their heads, drivers praying for mercy and mechanics working harder than a pit crew at a Formula One race.
The drama unfolded on Saturday morning across the notorious Sleeping Warrior stage, where the Kenyan terrain reminded everyone why this rally is nicknamed the toughest in the world. Championship leader Elfyn Evans was the first major casualty after his rear-right suspension surrendered mid-stage, most likely after losing a wrestling match with the famous Safari rocks.
If that was not enough excitement, the rally then decided to add another twist. On the road section back to service, rally leader Oliver Solberg suffered a clutch failure, leaving the young Swede stranded and stunned. Not long after, nine-time world champion Sébastien Ogier also encountered electrical trouble, proving once again that at the Safari Rally, even the most experienced drivers are only temporary guests at the top of the leaderboard.
While the rally around him turned into what could best be described as controlled chaos, Katsuta kept a calm head and carefully guided his Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 through the punishing Kenyan terrain. Mud, rocks, ruts and the occasional curious wildlife spectator all formed part of the challenge, but the Japanese driver kept his focus and brought the car safely to the finish.
Behind the winner, Adrien Fourmaux delivered a composed and intelligent drive to secure second place overall for Hyundai Motorsport. The Frenchman battled overheating issues throughout the rally, with engines running so hot they probably could have boiled tea during service halts.
Young Finnish driver Sami Pajari completed the podium after a determined performance. Pajari suffered a high-speed tyre failure on Saturday which caused heavy bodywork damage and cost around five minutes, but in true Safari spirit he simply carried on. After all, in this rally, if the car still moves forward, the job is to keep driving.
Esapekka Lappi finished fourth despite battling heavy understeer and several punctures throughout the event. Completing a remarkable result, Estonia’s Robert Virves guided his Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 to WRC2 victory and an impressive fifth place overall.
Even after their earlier setbacks, Solberg, Ogier and Evans returned under restart rules on Sunday and turned the final day into an intense fight for Super Sunday and Wolf Power Stage points. Solberg bounced back from his disappointment to win the Wolf Power Stage by 2.8 seconds over Ogier, proving that rally drivers rarely stay down for long. Despite retiring from second place on Saturday, Evans’ strong pace on Sunday ensured he still retains the drivers’ championship lead with 66 points.
Meanwhile in the WRC2 category, Robert Virves delivered a superb performance on his Safari Rally Kenya debut to claim victory. The Estonian guided his Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 through one of the most punishing rallies in recent memory to secure his second career WRC2 win.
Virves’ victory was largely shaped during Saturday’s brutal leg when early leader Gus Greensmith encountered trouble. The Briton had initially set the pace in his Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 before suffering a gearbox issue which allowed Virves to move into the lead. Greensmith later fought back to close the gap to 17.2 seconds, but a puncture soon handed Virves a comfortable advantage which he managed carefully through the final stages.
“I must say it feels amazing,” Virves said 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, while Andreas Mikkelsen finished fourth on his Safari debut. Diego Domínguez completed the top five after overcoming an engine misfire earlier in the rally.
After a weekend where suspensions surrendered, tyres exploded and mechanics worked overtime, the FIA World Rally Championship now switches to asphalt next month for the Croatia Rally from 9–12 April a smoother event that many drivers will likely welcome after surviving the wild adventure that is Safari Rally Kenya.
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