While rivals suffered the perils of the WRC’s toughest event, the double world champion was near-faultless on his march to victory in Kenya
TOM HOWARD
I think you cannot do a better Safari Rally than what we did,” said Kalle Rovanpera as he clambered out of his Toyota GR Yaris after a dominant run to a second career Safari victory. The reserved yet supremely talented double world champion is not one for making big statements, often preferring modesty when discussing his own skills and achievements. But on this occasion, it’s difficult to disagree with his claim. Rovanpera and co-driver Jonne Halttunen delivered one of the most intelligent and faultless performances ever witnessed on the World Rally Championship’s toughest round.
The Safari Rally is renowned as a battle of attrition, where survival takes precedence over outright speed. Crews expect trials and tribulations while attempting to tame Kenya’s wild terrain, unpredictable weather and car-destroying roads. But this wasn’t the case for Rovanpera, and his “clever” driving coupled with a bulletproof Toyota left his rivals in the distance.
“At this rally if you finish like this it is big relief because you are not fighting with all the drivers all the weekend, you are fighting the conditions,” said the 23-year-old upon achieving a 12th career WRC win to draw one clear of 1984 world champion Stig Blomqvist. “We had no issues for the whole weekend, and it was such clever driving, I think it was a good effort.”
A decision to move the event back to its more traditional March date in Kenya’s rainy season triggered fears that this year’s rally would be even tougher. This view heightened following a recce during which crews became literally stuck in the mud. To prepare for such conditions, Rally1 cars took on a rather retro Safari look, with the snorkel returning to the WRC’s top tier following a change in the FIA regulations that had previously prohibited the devices for Rally1 machines.
Toyota, M-Sport-Ford and Hyundai added snorkels to their Kenya survival kits, with the kings of the African event, Toyota, unveiling an elaborate aero-efficient design. In truth, the snorkels were hardly required because the expected torrential rain, which can turn roads into ice-like slippery mud, failed to arrive. Hyundai’s system only appeared on Saturday afternoon, while Toyota’s and M-Sport’s were p
