Katsuta capitalises on Safari Rally drama to take lead into final stage
Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta heads into the last day of the Safari Rally Kenya in a strong position, closing Saturday, March 14, 2026, with a commanding lead of 1 minute 25.5 seconds as he edges closer to securing his first-ever World Rally Championship (WRC) triumph.
Saturday, March 14, 2026, proved to be one of the most unpredictable days in recent WRC history. The rally, long known for its punishing terrain, lived up to its reputation as several leading contenders were forced out due to mechanical problems and challenging conditions.
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Toyota initially appeared to be in complete control, with its drivers occupying the top three spots. However, that advantage quickly disappeared during a difficult morning loop, allowing Katsuta to unexpectedly move into the lead and maintain it through a hazardous afternoon.
The turning point came during the demanding 31-kilometre Sleeping Warrior stage and the road section that followed. Championship front-runner Elfyn Evans was the first major driver to retire after suffering severe damage to his rear-right suspension during the stage.
Safari drama
The drama intensified soon after. Rally leader Oliver Solberg, who had just battled through thick mud on the Sleeping Warrior test with almost no visibility due to a lack of washer fluid, was forced to withdraw when his car developed an alternator failure on the liaison section to the Naivasha service area.
Moments later, Sébastien Ogier, who had been charging strongly through the morning, also retired with a similar mechanical issue on the same stretch of road, eliminating Toyota’s top three cars almost simultaneously. With those exits, Katsuta suddenly found himself leading the rally.
Earlier in the day, the Japanese driver had opted for a careful, conservative approach after suffering two punctures on the Elmenteita stage and finishing the loop without spare tyres. That cautious strategy ultimately proved crucial, leaving him with a lead of over a minute by the time the remaining crews returned for midday service.
Conditions remained extremely difficult during the afternoon stages. Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville, who had begun the loop in second overall despite battling overheating issues earlier in the day, was forced out during the second run of the Soysambu stage after suffering three punctures and having no spare tyres left.
His retirement opened the door for teammate Adrien Fourmaux, who skilfully navigated the chaos to move into second place. The French driver secured a stage victory at Soysambu before shifting his focus to preserving his Hyundai i20 N Rally1. He finished the day trailing Katsuta by 1 minute 25.5 seconds, while the rally leader admitted he was driving cautiously and trying to avoid “every single rock” to protect his chances of a first WRC win.
Sami Pajari holds third place overall despite enduring major setbacks earlier in the day. The young Finnish driver lost more than five minutes after a tyre burst at high speed on the Elmenteita stage, which also caused notable body damage to his car.
However, Pajari responded impressively later in the afternoon by setting the fastest time on the same stage, enabling him to move ahead of Hyundai’s Esapekka Lappi and claim the final podium spot. Lappi finished the leg in fourth place after struggling through the afternoon with understeer and a puncture on the front-left tyre, admitting that he was no longer focused on the standings and was simply trying to reach the finish.
Challenging afternoon
Elsewhere, M-Sport Ford endured a challenging afternoon. Jon Armstrong dealt with repeated warnings about rising water temperatures along with a puncture on the front-right tyre, while teammate Josh McErlean had to carefully manage a continuing engine problem. Both drivers remain outside the top ten even as Kenyans throng Naivasha for the ultimate experience.
In the WRC2 category, Robert Virves delivered a controlled and consistent performance to end the day with a comfortable 55.3-second advantage in class while also sitting fifth overall. Gus Greensmith occupies second place in WRC2, with Fabrizio Zaldivar, Andreas Mikkelsen, Diego Dominguez and Daniel Chwist completing the provisional top ten.
Saturday’s action ended earlier than planned after rally officials cancelled the second run of the Sleeping Warrior stage. Heavy afternoon rain left deep ruts filled with water, creating conditions that were deemed too dangerous for rescue vehicles to reach the area if needed.
