Hyundai’s Neuville calls the shots as crews wow fans at Kasarani
Thierry Neuville, navigated by Matijn Wydaeghe racing on a Hyundai i20 competes in Kasarani Super special stage during the WRC Safari Rally on March 28, 2024.
What you need to know:
- The stage was full of thrills and spills, Samman Vohra spinning and rolling his Skoda Fabia car on top of being penalised for jump starting
- Neuville has been a revelation this season after winning the season-opener last January in Monte Carlo
- On Thursday, he was flawless as he beat Tanak to the tape by a tenth of a second, underlying the close and competitive nature of modern WRC series
Fans were treated to high octane rally action at the Kasarani Super Special Stage in Nairobi on Thursday, where FIA World Rally Championship leader, Belgian Thierry Neuville navigated by his compatriot Martijn Wydaeghe in a Hyundai i20 Hybrid R1 car, took a 0.1-second lead over his Hyundai team-mate Ott Tänak, winning Safari Rally’s opening stage in dry and dusty conditions.
The stage was full of thrills and spills, Samman Vohra spinning and rolling his Skoda Fabia car on top of being penalised for jump starting.
Aakif Virani (Skoda Fabia) also spun and went off the road, as did Charles Munster (Ford Puma) and Minesh Rathod (Msitubishi Lancer EVO). Samman was penalised for jump starting.
Neuville piloted his car in the 4.84 kilometre opening stage of the 367km-long competitive distance before thousands of rally fans who had gathered there, with many more lining up along Thika Super Highway to have a glimpse of the super machines from Hyundai, Toyota and Ford which will battle for the next four days for constructors’ points in the first gravel rally of the 13-round WRC series this season.
Neuville, who is out to extend his three-point lead over Toyota’s British driver Elfyn Evans in the Safari Rally, has been a revelation this season after winning the season-opener last January in Monte Carlo.
On Thursday, he was flawless as he beat Tanak to the tape by a tenth of a second, underlying the close and competitive nature of modern WRC series, where events are won in seconds. He is, however, alive to the huge task ahead as he hopes luck will be on his side, having retired in 2021. Last year, he was disqualified after being caught being driven in Soysambu area after recce had ended.
Reigning champion Kalle Rovanperä of Finland, driving a Toyota Yaris GR Hybrid car, completed the top three, just 0.7second behind.
“It will be a challenging event,” he said. “We are crossing our fingers that, this time, we can get through without any technical problems or mistakes. I think we are well prepared, and I feel good in the car, so it's always good to start a rally like this.”
“It's clearly a tough (rally). The first thing in my mind is to get through without trouble,” said Tanak.
Crowd favourite, Japanese Takamoto Katsuta in a Toyota Yaris GR car, dropped just 0.9s while posting the fourth-best time ahead of Hyundai’s Esapekka Lappi.
“The fight continues. Let’s wait and see, it will be an interesting weekend. We will do our best," he said.
Evans, currently second in the series on points, went sixth-quickest in his Toyota car, with M-Sport Ford Puma youngster Adrien Fourmaux following closely behind. Gus Greensmith set the pace in WRC2, taking eighth overall in a Škoda Fabia RS, while Grégoire Munster and Oliver Solberg completed the top 10.
Multiple Safari Rally champion Carl Tundo (Ford Fiesta) and Africa champion Karan Patel were the best placed locals in 15th and 16th positions respectively. Tanzania Yasin Nasser, in a Ford Fiesta car, was 20th.
Andrew Muiruri and Edward Njoroge surprised fans with a meritable 22nd position out of 29 starters in the stage and the first one in the old school Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 10 car.
Action resumes at 8:15 am on Friday with the first of the day’s six stages. The biggest challenge will be the 31.50km Kedong stage, which makes up the finale of the morning and afternoon loops. Kedong has porous lava soil known as fesh fesh which can be dusty and slippery to the extremes.
Crews will also make a stopover at Buffalo Mall passage control in Naivasha town at 11:00 am and 4:30pm for quick autograph sessions. The same location will be revised on Saturday.
On Saturday, drivers will be in Gilgil area where a new flying finish on a hill christened ‘Ugali Hill’ in the 7.5km section will be the highlight. ‘Ugali Hill’ lies in an area which is a mix of tight and twisty bends, and open straights in Sleeping Warrior section.
There is also a public spectator area at the end of the stage that can be accessed along the Pipeline/high voltage power lines off the Kikopey-Mutaita road in the Soysambu section. Cars will repeat these sections twice, providing a good scene for spectators.
