Rovanperä Sets the Pace in Safari Rally Kenya Shakedown

Kalle Rovanperä set the fastest time in the Safari Rally Kenya shakedown, highlighting his return to form. He clocked 4:34.5 on the 5.16km stage, outperforming Thierry Neuville and Ott Tänak. The drivers expressed unity in protest against a fine imposed on Adrien Fourmaux, limiting communications during the rally. Competitors Grégoire Munster and Elfyn Evans also performed well, indicating a competitive field ahead.

Kalle Rovanperä exhibited remarkable speed in the shakedown for the Safari Rally Kenya, setting the fastest time on the inaugural gravel test of the World Rally Championship (WRC) season. Following a difficult start to the season, Rovanperä’s performance highlights a potential resurgence, as he already boasts two victories at this event. His Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 clocked a time of 4:34.5, which was 1.6 seconds quicker than Thierry Neuville’s Hyundai i20 N Rally1, who secured second place after an improved final run.

Completing the top three, Ott Tänak finished 1.9 seconds off the leading pace in another Hyundai. Takamoto Katsuta finished fourth, while Adrien Fourmaux rounded out the top five in his Hyundai. Notably, drivers expressed frustration over a €10,000 fine imposed on Fourmaux for inappropriate language during Rally Sweden. Neuville indicated that the drivers would limit their communications throughout the event as a form of protest, with only comments made at the end of the longest stage.

M-Sport Ford’s Grégoire Munster captured sixth place, slightly ahead of championship leader Elfyn Evans. Other notable performances included Josh McErlean and Sami Pajari, who also made the top ten rankings during the shakedown.

The shakedown for the Safari Rally Kenya showcased Kalle Rovanperä’s return to form, as he dominated the warm-up stage with the fastest time. The event has revealed frustration among drivers regarding regulatory penalties, leading to a collective decision to minimize communications. With tight competition evident in the shakedown times, the stage is set for an exciting rally in Kenya.

Original Source: www.wrc.com