Kalle leads Toyota quartet in muddy Day 3 Safari

Kalle Rovanpesa was in a class of his own on Saturday when he led Toyota Gazoo Racing teammates to top four positions on Day Two of the WRC Safari Kenya.

 Despite winning only one section at Elementeita 2, the 21-year-old Finn led Day 3 of the Kenyan fixture from start to finish.

And after checking into the last service at Naivasha’s Wildlife Research and Training Institute, the "Flying Finn" candidly admitted that he was flabbergasted by the result.

“I honestly don’t know how I did it. The conditions were very tricky today especially on the second pass of Sleeping Warrior, where the rains changed the dynamics of the competition,” Rovanpera reflected.

 The son of rally legend Harri Rovanpera holds a 40-second advantage over Toyota teammate Elfyn Evans who maintained a steady run with two stage wins at SS8 Soysambu1 and its SS11 repeat run.

 Japanese Takamoto Katsuta is lying third, 1.25.6minutes behind the leader while Sebastien Ogier’s stage win on the muddy Sleeping Warrior 2 saw him close the day in fourth position.

Following Friday's tough fesh fesh sections, Saturday’s proceedings didn’t spare the crews either. Gus Greensmith and Jonas Andersson rolled their M-Sport Ford Puma car on SS8 Soysambu 1.

Toyota Gazoo Racing Principal Jarri-Mati Latvala revealed that there will be no team orders for his outfit on Safari adding: “We want to have a sort of discussion that we want to see all the four cars finish the event on Sunday.”

Latvala added: “I think that it is an important message that we have to speak with the drivers to remain cautious.”

The opening loop of Safari was a dry and dusty run but the afternoon loop was a completely different ball game. 

 Rovanpera added: “There is no grip in the mud here and sometimes there is so much water that it's hard to get through.  

 “I just realised straight away it was slippery and I tried to be a bit more clever in places where I saw other drivers' lines going wide or something. Basically, I just tried to keep it clean.   

"I have not been feeling too good today. It's not with the stomach, but I feel I am quite tired. Hopefully tomorrow is better.” 

Evans punctured on SS10 but was also lucky to survive a close call with a tree on the last stage. Day Four will culminate with the power stage at Hells gate on Sunday where the top fastest driver will score additional championship points.

SUBLIME KALLE LEADS TOYOTA CLEAN SWEEP ON MUDDY DAY 3

DAY 3-LEADERBOARD

1 (FIN) K.alle Rovanperä         (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) 2:52:39.7                

2 (GBR) Elfyn Evans                 (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) +40.3

3 (JPN) Takamoto Katsuta      (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) +1.25.6        

4 (FRA) Sebastien Ogier          (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) +2:38.3

5 (BEL )Thierry Neuville          (Hyundai  i20 Rally1)   +10:59.3

6 (SWE) Oliver Solberg            (Hyundai i20 N Rally1 ) +12:19.1

7 (IRL) Craig Breen                  (Ford Puma Rally1)     +18:56.1

8 (GRC) J. Serderidis               (Ford Puma Rally1)     +25:45.6

9 (POL) K. Kajetanowicz          ( Fabia Evo)     +27:34.7

10 (FRA) Sebastien Loeb         (Ford Puma Rally1)     +33:01.0

11 (EST) Ott Tänak                  (Hyundai i20 N Rally1) +40:20.8

12 (KEN) Amaanraj Singh Rai  (Skoda Fabia Evo)+53:20.4

13 (KEN Evans Nzioka             (Lancer Evo X) +54:46.1

14 (GBR) Nikhil Sachania        (Lancer Evo X) +1:07:58.2

15 (ITA) GIANCARLO DAVITE  ( Lancer Evo X) +1:16:31.5

16 (GBR) GUS GREENSMITH   (Ford Puma Rally1) +1:19:10.4

17 (FRA) ADRIEN FOURMAUX (Ford Puma Rally1)    +1:19:29.8

18 (KEN) MAXINE WAHOME  (Ford Fiesta Rally3) +1:21:28.6

19 (KEN) HAMZA ANWAR       (Ford Fiesta Rally3)     +1:36:23.7

20 (KEN) KARAN PATEL           (Ford Fiest Rally 3)  +1:49:33.2

21 (KEN) JEREMY WAHOME   (Ford Fiesta Rally3)+1:50:48.3

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