NAIROBI, Kenya, March 16, 2026 – This year’s Safari Rally was everything that enthusiasts had expected and prayed for.
Billed as the ‘world toughest rally’, the World Rally Championships (WRC) delivered on all fronts, leaving everyone with memories to whet their appetite for more — at least until next year’s edition.
The weather conditions oscillated between sunny and dry conditions on one hand as well as wet and slippery on the other.
As was anticipated, this put the mental fortitude of the drivers to the test, let alone their skills on the wheel as well as the ability of their cars to absorb the vagaries of nature.
For the fans who had congregated in Naivasha from all corners of the country, this battle was just what they had sacrificed their time and resources to come and witness.
As early as Monday, Naivasha was a beehive of activities; hotels recorded full bookings whereas small-scale traders made a killing off the thousands of visitors.
Whereas the competitors provided the entertainment they so thirsted for on the routes, Capital FM was on hand to provide off-course entertainment.
In particular, the Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) Hospitality Zone at the Sleeping Warrior was a non-stop scene of party vibes.
Music by Capital’s DJ UV, DJ Slick and the legendary DJ Adrian kept revellers on their feet even as they waited for the cars to pass by.
When they did — one after the other — shouts of joy rent the air as everyone cheered them on.
It was pure ecstasy; one that was unavoidable as grown men and women joined their young ones in expressing their excitement — roused on by the rumbling machines as they pierced through the dusty, sometimes, wet routes.
Biting the dust
It was only a matter of time before the brutal nature of the Safari Rally came to the fore as different competitors started to bite the dust.
Most notable was then defending champion Elfyn Evans who threw in the towel after damaging his right rear suspension at Elementaita on Saturday.
Then came his Toyota Gazoo Racing counterparts, Oliver Solberg and Sebastien Ogier, who both suffered broken alternators — dealing a death knell to their ambitions.
Up until then, the duo had been occupying the top two positions in the overall standings.
Then the competition took a fairytale turn as Japanese Takamoto Katsuta ascended to the top of the leaderboard.
As news seeped through into the Hospitality Zone, there was a buzz of excitement as well as surprise.
It was not hard to understand why various fans were excited about the leadership change considering the backstory behind Katsuta’s Safari Rally adventure.
The 32-year-old has thrice made the podium (2021, 2022 and 2024); sandwiched between these performances was a disappointing 2023 when his car rolled over during the shakedown at Loldia.
An impressive fourth-place finish regardless, Katsuta had to endure various technical issues, including cooling problems and a broken generator.
The Japanese was reduced to tears after another disappointing outcome, expressing despair over what had become a never-ending chase for glory.
However, by Sunday afternoon, Katsuta was shedding tears of joy after completing the Wolf Power Stage at Hell’s Gate, which all but confirmed his victory.
Overall, there was something for everyone at the 2026 Safari Rally.
Business was booming, entertainment was non-stop whereas sports scribes had plenty of storylines to choose from.
As the countdown begins for next year’s edition, the hope is that it will be one worth the wait for another 300 or so days.
