Katsuta Claims Historic Safari Rally Victory
Oliver Solberg and co driver Elliot Edmonson racing on a Toyota Yaris race through the Mzabibu stage on March 13, 2026.
Text| photos By Sila Kiplagat
Dust rose like a curtain over the plains of Naivasha as engines roared to life at the WRC Safari Rally Kenya 2026. The rally had returned, wild and unforgiving, cutting through the rugged beauty of the Great Rift Valley and the jagged trails of Hell's Gate National Park.
From the very first stage, the Safari showed no mercy.
Cars bounced violently over rocks, tyres shredded on sharp edges, and sudden rain turned dry tracks into treacherous mud. Big names faltered. Some slowed. Others disappeared into the dust of retirement. It was the Safari doing what it does best—separating the bold from the lucky.
Amid the chaos, a quiet determination began to rise.
Takamoto Katsuta and his co-driver Aaron Johnston drove with precision rather than aggression. While others pushed and paid the price, they chose patience—reading the terrain, respecting the rally, and steadily climbing the leaderboard.
By Saturday, the turning point had come. Rivals stumbled, and Katsuta seized the moment. The lead was his—but the Safari is never won until the final kilometre.
Behind him, Adrien Fourmaux with co-driver Alexandre Coria fought hard to stay in contention, while Sami Pajari and Marko Salminen pushed through the punishing stages to secure their place among the leaders.
Sunday arrived with tension thick in the air. The final stages wound through dust, rock, and roaring crowds. Every sound mattered. Every second counted.
And then—it was over.
Katsuta crossed the finish line, not just as a survivor, but as a winner. His first-ever WRC victory, earned on one of the toughest stages in the world. Fourmaux followed as first runner-up, with Pajari completing the podium as second runner-up.
Champagne sprayed into the African sky. Engines fell silent. But the story of the Safari—its grit, its chaos, its triumph—lingered long after the dust settled.
Because in Kenya, the rally doesn’t just test machines.
It reveals champions.
Nikhil Sachania navigated by Deep Patel on a Ford Fiesta race through Soysambu stage on March 14,2026.
Essapeka Lapi navigated by Enni Malkonen in a Hyundai i20 compete in Hellsgate stage on March 15,2026
Sami Pajari navigated by Marko Salminen in a Toyota Yaris compete in Hellsgate stage on March 15 2026.
President William Ruto poses for a photo with podium-finishing teams during the WRC Safari Rally Kenya on March 15, 2026, at Hell's Gate National Park. From left: Team Hyundai’s Adrien Fourmaux and co-driver Alexandre Coria (first runners-up); Team Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta with co-driver Aaron Johnston (winners); and Sami Pajari with co-driver Marko Salminen (second runners-up).
Podium-finishing teams celebrate with champagne during the WRC Safari Rally Kenya on March 15, 2026, at Hell's Gate National Park. From left: Team Hyundai’s Adrien Fourmaux and co-driver Alexandre Coria (first runners-up); winners Team Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta with co-driver Aaron Johnston; and Sami Pajari with co-driver Marko Salminen (second runners-up).
Jon Armstrong and co driver Shane Byrne racing on a Ford puma race through the Geothermal stage on March 13, 2026.
Elfyn Evans navigated by Scott Martin on a Toyota Yaris encounter a zebra as they race through Elementaita stage on March 14,2026.
Karan Patel navigated by Touseef Khan on a Skoda Fabia race through Soysambu stage on March 14,2026.
Adrien Fourmaux navigated by Alexandria Coria on a Hyundai i20 race through Soysambu stage on March 14,2026.
Esappeka Lappi navigated by Enni Malkonen on a Hyundai i20 race through Elementaita stage on March 14,2026.
Takamoto Ktasuta navigated by Aaaron Johnson on a Toyota Yaris race through Soysambu stage on March 14,2026.
Sami Pajari navigated by Marko Salminen on a Toyota Yaris race through Soysambu stage on March 14,2026.
Joshua Mcerlean navigated by Eoin Treacy on a Ford Puma race through Elementaita stage on March 14,2026.
