NAIVASHA, Kenya, Jun 27 – World Champion Sebastian Ogier is the winner of the grueling WRC Safari Rally after beating his Toyoya Gazoo team-mate Takamoto Katsuta while Ott Tanak of Hyundai took the third spot.
When longtime leader Thierry Neuville retired his Hyundai i20 with broken suspension after clipping a rock, the Frenchman demoted Toyota Yaris team-mate Takamoto Katsuta to win the punishing four-day rally by 21.8sec.
Japan’s Katsuta claimed his first WRC podium to seal Toyota Gazoo Racing’s fourth 1-2 result of the season. He finished 47.7sec ahead of Ott Tänak’s i20.
Tänak was fastest through the Wolf Power Stage to claim five bonus points. Kalle Rovanperä scored four points in second in a Yaris, with team-mate Elfyn Evans taking three in third. Ogier secured two points in fourth with Dani Sordo bagging the final point in fifth in an i20.
“One out of one is not so bad. We had amazing support from the people. It has been incredible. The people have been cheering for us. It is a beautiful country. It is a great win for us. After the trouble on Friday, we had a good weekend. Well done also to Taka. It was not easy to catch him. It was a great result for the team,” Ogier said.
-More to follow
