Latest news with #SafariRallyKenya
Arab Times
14-05-2025
- Automotive
- Arab Times
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing claims historic 5th consecutive victory at Safari Rally Kenya
NAIROBI, May 14: TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team continued its commanding form in the 2025 FIA World Rally Championship season by securing a fifth straight victory at the formidable Safari Rally Kenya. Elfyn Evans and co-driver Scott Martin delivered an expert performance in their No. 33 GR YARIS Rally1, claiming top honours in what has been widely described as the toughest edition of the rally since its WRC return in 2021. The win marks Evans' first at Safari Rally Kenya and the team's 13th overall victory at the legendary African event, adding another milestone as TGR-WRT celebrated its 100th WRC event since debuting in 2017. Akio Toyoda, TGR-WRT Chairman, commented: 'Elfyn and Scott, congratulations on your victory. Their victory has brought the team three consecutive wins this season and a fifth straight win at the Safari Rally Kenya. We were able to win the rally thanks to Elfyn and Scott, but the roads in Kenya were as challenging as ever. It wasn't an easy victory. We approached Kenya with thorough preparations based on four years of experience there. However, this year we faced new challenges once again. So many things happened up until the last day and the last stage.' Toyoda added: 'We get excited every time we encounter a road that reminds us, 'there is no end to ever-better car making'. Starting tomorrow, everyone in the team will work on improving the GR YARIS Rally1 to make it easier to drive and stronger. And these improvements will extend beyond rally cars to all Toyota vehicles running around the world. The roads of Kenya made us reaffirm the significance of participating in rallies as a car manufacturer. To all the team members, let's work hard to create ever-better cars from tomorrow, and let's enjoy the competition with our rivals.' This year's Safari Rally Kenya covered a punishing 383.1 kilometres of competitive distance and presented drivers with some of the most extreme rallying conditions of the WRC calendar. From treacherous rocky terrain to sections transformed by torrential rain, every kilometre tested the durability of machine and mindset. After a steady start on day one, Evans and Martin moved into the lead on Friday through a measured yet assertive approach. As other competitors faltered in the harsh conditions, the duo maintained consistency to build an advantage of nearly two minutes by the end of day three. On day four, they managed the final five stages with precision and composure, securing victory by 1 minute and 9.9 seconds. This result also marks Toyota's 53rd win and 123rd podium in the WRC since its return to the championship in 2017. With three back-to-back victories in the 2025 season, Toyota now leads the manufacturers' championship with 148 points. Over the years, Toyota has been participating in many different forms of motorsports, including Formula One, the World Endurance Championship (WEC), and the Nürburgring 24 Hours endurance race. Toyota's participation in these events was overseen by separate entities within the company until April 2015, when Toyota established TGR to consolidate all of its motorsport activities under one in-house brand. Representing Toyota's belief that 'the roads build the people, and the people build the cars,' TGR highlights the role of motorsports as a fundamental pillar of Toyota's commitment to making 'ever-better' cars. Harnessing years of experience gained under the extreme conditions of various motorsports events, TGR aims to forge new technologies and solutions that bring the freedom, adventure, and joy of driving to everyone.
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Fourmaux reacts to support from WRC rivals amid FIA swearing resolution
Adrien Fourmaux is grateful for the support from World Rally Championship competitors through the World Rally Drivers Alliance [WoRDA] that has resulted in a solution to the FIA swearing fine dispute. The Hyundai driver fell foul of the FIA's clampdown on drivers using 'inappropriate language' resulting in a €10,000 fine with €20,000 suspended, after swearing during a live television interview at the conclusion of Rally Sweden in February. Advertisement It sparked universal condemnation of the penalty by WRC drivers and the rally community. In response, drivers, led by eight-time world co-driver champion Julien Ingrassia, formed WoRDA which issued a statement urging the FIA to reconsider penalties for heat of the moment comments when competitors are interviewed in stage ends. After failing to enter dialogue with the FIA over the matter, WRC crews opted to remain silent or speak in only their mother tongue at stage ends during Safari Rally Kenya. However, discussions between WoRDA and the FIA have resulted in a solution to the situation. From this weekend's Rally Islas Canarias, traditional stage end interviews will return. Drivers will no longer be punished for swearing during said interviews and other heat-of-the-moment scenarios, such as radio communication with the team. Instead, drivers will only be sanctioned for swearing during press conferences or official media zones. This follows a similar clarification adopted in Formula 1. Reflecting on the positive outcome, Fourmaux told 'I'm happy and I would say we have gone back to normal. Adrien Fourmaux, Alexandre Coria, Hyundai World Rally Team Hyundai i20 N Rally1 Adrien Fourmaux, Alexandre Coria, Hyundai World Rally Team Hyundai i20 N Rally1 Fabien Dufour / Hyundai Motorsport Fabien Dufour / Hyundai Motorsport Advertisement 'First, to be able to answer at the end of stage and that we don't have to be thinking all the time that if we say something wrong that we will get a penalty, and also we can give our feelings whether it is positive or not. 'I'm happy that the FIA was listening and everyone is working together and it was nice to see all the support from the rally drivers and not only the Rally1 drivers, which shows we are one [group together].' Double world champion Kalle Rovanpera believes the new agreement forged with the FIA means drivers can no longer be afraid to show their emotions. 'I think it is what everybody was aiming for and now it is fair for everybody and especially for drivers,' Rovanpera told Advertisement 'When we say things in the heat of the moment we don't mean anything bad and in sport these things can happen. We want to be speaking normally and nicely. It makes sense and we don't need to be afraid now in the heat of the moment. 'I think it is actually quite important that actually everyone came together to work on it, big thanks to them [the drivers] from our side and the FIA. I think it is a good step we have made together.' To read more articles visit our website.
BBC News
23-04-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
Early WRC lead 'doesn't mean a huge amount'
Elfyn Evans says he's not getting carried away following his promising start to the World Rally Championship (WRC) Welshman has a 36-point lead after the first three rounds following back-to-back winning Rally Sweden in February, the 36-year-old was also victorious in Safari Rally Kenya in also finished second behind Sébastien Ogier in Rally Monte Carlo on the opening weekend of the season."It's definitely been a decent start," Evans told BBC Sport Wales."Everything's worked well in the first three rounds, but we also know it's very, very early in the season and it doesn't mean a huge amount at this stage."But of course we have to take the points while we can." It was Evans' first victory in Kenya after podium finishes in 2022 and considered to be one of the most challenging rallies in the Championship due to it's rugged terrain and unpredictable weather."It's an iconic rally, it's one of the classics. And this year it was an especially tough edition. There was a lot of endurance involved," Evans added."It's always a funny feeling when you win an endurance event, you don't somehow get the same buzz as you get when you win one of the rallies where you're flat out from start to finish. "At the same time to win a rally like that is still something special." Evans has finished runner-up in the Championship in four of the last five years. His only victory last year came in the final rally of the season in Japan, as he ended up 32 points behind the eventual winner Thierry Neuville. "The results towards the end of last season and the start of this season have been good. But in any type of sport there's always challenges. We have to keep focused," Evans said."There's a string of seven gravel rallies coming up, and we know that being early on the road for those rallies is often a difficult place to be. "When you have such a long string of them in the crucial mid-part of the season it's very easy to lose ground. "The lead we've built up at the moment really doesn't mean too much. It's a case of having to continue to focus on doing the best we can in each rally."Round four of the 14-race calendar is the Rally Islas Canarias from 24-27 April.
Reuters
23-03-2025
- Automotive
- Reuters
Evans wins in Kenya and extends championship lead
March 23 (Reuters) - Toyota's Elfyn Evans won Safari Rally Kenya on Sunday to extend his world championship lead to 36 points. Hyundai's Ott Tanak was second, more than a minute behind, with his defending champion team mate Thierry Neuville third. It was Evans's second win in three races this season and second in a row after Sweden. The Welshman, who was also runner-up in the Monte Carlo season-opener, now has 88 points to Neuville's 52 and Tanak's 49.
Yahoo
23-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Evans wins Safari Rally Kenya to extend WRC lead
Elfyn Evans won Safari Rally Kenya to extend his lead after three rounds of the World Rally Championship (WRC) to 36 points. The 36-year-old Welshman recorded back-to-back victories for the first time, finishing more than a minute ahead of Estonian Ott Tanak. Hyundai driver Tanak had led the race before breaking a driveshaft on Friday, while Evans' Toyota team-mate Kalle Rovenpera was forced to retire after a string of problems. "A huge well done to the team, they did a great job and I'm proud to be a very small part of Toyota's history at this special rally," said Evans. "I want to say thank you to everyone in Kenya for a very warm welcome and an amazing rally." Evans wins Rally Sweden tussle to take WRC lead Evans welcomes points revamp for 2025 WRC Having won Thursday's opening stage and two on Saturday, Evans and co-driver Scott Martin took a lead of just under two minutes into Sunday. However, given the attritional nature of the rally, the Gazoo Racing duo opted for a safety first approach to the final five stages. They ceded 47 seconds on the final day but still finished one minute 9.9 seconds ahead of Tanak, with Thierry Neuville a further two minutes 22 seconds adrift. It meant the Welshman collected only two Sunday points but with 25 for the rally victory it took his total to 88 points, following victory in Sweden last month and runners-up spot in January's season-opening Rallye Monte Carlo. Last year's championship winner Neuville has moved up from fourth place to second on 52 points, with Tanak up to third with 49. Northern Ireland's Josh McErlean enjoyed mixed fortunes in the third race of his first WRC season. He lost 29 minutes on Saturday's opening run after breaking a steering arm on his Ford M-Sport Puma. However, McErlean and co-driver Eoin Treacy went on the deliver their best performance in a Rally1 car with the second-best time on stage 15. They placed 11th in Kenya, picking up one Super Sunday point to also remain in 11th spot overall. Round four of the 14 race calendar is the Rally Islas Canarias from 24-27 April. 1. Elfyn Evans (Great Britain), Toyota, 4 hours 20 minutes 3.8 seconds 2. Ott Tanak (Estonia), Hyundai, +1min 09.9secs 3. Thierry Neuville (Belgium), Hyundai, +3mins 32.0secs 4. Sami Pajari (Finland), Toyota, +7mins 18.7secs 5. Takamoto Katsuta (Japan), Toyota, +8mins 15.7secs 6 Gregoire Munster (Luxembourg), Ford, +11mins 35.3secs 11. Josh McErlean (Ireland), Ford, +37mins 15.8secs 1. Elfyn Evans (Great Britain), Toyota, 88 points 2. Thierry Neuville (Belgium), Hyundai, 52 3. Ott Tanak (Estonia), Hyundai, 49 4. Takamoto Katsuta (Japan), Toyota 35 5. Sebastien Ogier (France), Toyota, 33 6. Kalle Rovanpera (Finland), Toyota, 31 11. Josh McErlean (Ireland), Ford, 7
