Neuville takes early lead as Safari Rally shakedown begins in Naivasha
By Joel Masibo, March 12, 2026Belgian rally driver Thierry Neuville set the pace early at the 2026 WRC Safari Rally Kenya on Thursday morning, March 12, 2026, clocking the quickest time during shakedown as drivers got their first real feel of what is anticipated to be another tough edition of the event.
Neuville, making his 185th appearance in the World Rally Championship to surpass Sébastien Loeb on the all-time starts list, recorded a best time of 4 minutes 33.1 seconds on his third and final run over the newly introduced 6.31km Nawisa shakedown stage.
Neuville strikes first
His effort left him 1.8 seconds ahead of championship rival Oliver Solberg, who spearheaded the Toyota Gazoo Racing contingent in just his fourth outing with the team.
The Nawisa route gave competitors an early preview of the challenging Safari terrain, beginning with a climb through a rocky quarry before dropping into narrow sections marked by deep ruts. Rainfall in the days leading up to the rally made conditions even trickier, with drivers noting slippery surfaces and constantly shifting grip levels.
Reflecting on the challenge, Neuville cautioned that predicting the outcome of the rally would be extremely difficult. “I don’t think anyone can predict the final result here this weekend,” Neuville admitted after his opening run. “We need to find the fine line between going fast enough and not too fast. The conditions are going to be horrendous at some points,” Neuville told WRC.
Toyota drivers Sami Pajari and championship leader Elfyn Evans secured third and fourth places, respectively. Multiple Safari Rally winner Sébastien Ogier completed the top five, finishing ahead of Esapekka Lappi.
Weather challenges
Ogier acknowledged the increasing difficulty posed by the weather, saying the rally could prove tougher than ever. “It’s more challenging than ever,” Ogier noted. “The rain has been intense, so some sections are going to be very, very challenging. It will be about survival.”
There were positive signs for M-Sport Ford as Joshua McErlean finished seventh, placing ahead of Takamoto Katsuta. Fellow Irishman Jon Armstrong, making his first Rally1 appearance on gravel, secured ninth position. Both drivers ended the session within five seconds of Neuville’s leading time.
Adrien Fourmaux completed the top ten after setting his best time on the first pass of the stage, with worsening ruts later on making it difficult for drivers to improve their runs.
The rally’s competitive stages are scheduled to begin later in the day with the opening stage, Camp Moran, set to start at 14:30 local time.