WRC
Evans escapes Safari carnage to lead by over a minute
Elfyn Evans landed a brace of stage wins on Saturday morning to tighten his grip on Safari Rally Kenya, stretching his lead to 1min 32.5sec as Kalle Rovanperä hit tyre trouble.
There was no easing into the day for the FIA World Rally Championship crews. After a bruising Friday, Saturday’s first half brought more punishment - deep ruts, rocky tracks and plenty of standing water, with some sections resembling full-on mud baths.
Evans started the day 7.7sec clear and immediately made a statement on Sleeping Warrior. Despite sustaining rear tyre damage towards the end of the 26.97-kilometre test, he still managed to pull 8.2sec further ahead of Toyota GAZOO Racing team-mate Rovanperä.
Rovanperä hit back on Elmenteita – but not in the way he would have hoped. A front-right deflation in the final five kilometres saw him haemorrhage 21.1sec to the Welshman, and things went from bad to worse on the following stage at Soysambu. There, a front-left puncture cost the Finn a further 55.5sec, leaving him trailing Evans by 1min 32.5sec at the midday halt.
Two-time Safari winner Rovanperä had a morning to forget
© WRC
Thierry Neuville also lost time early on. The Hyundai driver fell to fifth after stopping to change a wheel on the day’s opener. That handed fourth to Takamoto Katsuta, who overcame a half spin on Sleeping Warrior and ended the loop 1min 29.4sec clear of Neuville. Katsuta, who went fastest on SS13, trailed Tänak by 1min 47.7sec.
Sami Pajari remained unchallenged in sixth overall, while Jan Solans overtook Gus Greensmith to claim seventh and the WRC2 lead. Greensmith was eighth while Grégoire Munster and Fabrizio Zaldivar rounded out the top 10.
Tänak closed to within 17.0sec of the runner-up spot
© WRC
