NAIVASHA, Kenya, March 14 – Japanese ace Takamoto Katsuta has taken a commanding lead into the final day of the WRC Safari Rally Kenya 2026 after a brutal Saturday in Naivasha, Nakuru County.
Katsuta was catapulted to the lead when three of his illustrious Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT teammates; Elfyn Evans, overnight leader Oliver Solberg and Sebastien Ogier were forced to retire in the morning section.
Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT star, Thierry Neuville joined the glittering casualty list in the afternoon pass, clearing the path for Katsuta and his navigator Aaron Johnson to establish a sizable 1:25.5 minutes lead heading to Sunday’s final day.
With just four stages left to achieve his Safari Rally title dream the popular Japanese speedster has his sights firmly set on delivering the crown to his battered team.
Takamoto had his campaign effectively sewn up when the last stage of the day Sleeping Warrior 2 was cancelled, after it was adjudged impassable due to its deteriorating state after the first run.
“Honestly, it’s much easier when you are fighting flat-out everywhere. The penultimate day was tricky and I was just trying to avoid every single rock, even the very small ones,” said Takamoto who has twice finished second and third in previous Safari Rally outings.
Following the mass casualties, Hyundai’s Adrien Fourmaux moved up to second, ahead of the Toyota of Sami Pajari.
The early morning three-stage first loop turned out to be a real nightmare for Toyota with Evans retiring on SS13 Sleeping Warrior 1 with a damaged rear right suspension when second on the grid.
And having already completed the morning’s three-stage loop at Sleeping Warrior Ogier and Solberg could not make it back to service and were forced to retire on the transport section.
Solberg, who had stretched his lead from his wafer thin +0.1 second at the end of day two, completed SS13 virtually blind after running out of windscreen washer fluid in the thick mud.
His day had started in emphatic fashion, winning the first stage, SS11 Soysambu 1.
Ogier had set the fastest times in SS12 and SS13 to dramatically close the gap on the rally leader after suffering a horrible puncture at the 24.94km opening stage that saw him drop to fifth overall.
“I mean, I have been in Kenya so many times that it doesn’t surprise me when something like that happens.
“The conditions have been really tough and, let’s say, the cars should be built for that. But in those muddy conditions it can go everywhere.
“Water is not that bad, but the stiff mud sticks everywhere and that can cause problems. It went into the alternator and broke the pulley, let’s say, and things all got stuck,” Ogier lamented.
OVERALL STANDINGS AT END OF SS16
1. Katsuta T. /Johnston Aaron (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) 2:41:00.2
2. Fourmaux A. /Coria A. (Hyundai i20 N Rally1) 2:42:25.7 (+1:25.5)
3. Pajari Sami/ Salminen Marko (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) 2:46:29.3 (+5:29.1)
4. Lappi Esapekka / Mälkönen Enni (Hyundai i20 N Rally1) 2:47:18.7 ( +6:18.5)
5. Virves Robert / Viilo Jakko (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2) 2:50:42.3 (+9:42.1)
6. Greensmith Gus Fl/Andersson J.( Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 T) 2:51:37.6 (+10:37.4)
