Elfyn Evans Leads Safari Rally Kenya as McErlean Faces Challenges

Elfyn Evans leads the Safari Rally Kenya with a nearly two-minute margin over Ott Tanak. Josh McErlean faced challenges, dropping to 13th place after a steering issue but showed resilience with a strong stage time. Rovanpera’s chances faded due to tyre problems, while Neuville held third position, over four minutes behind. The final day features five stages ahead.

Elfyn Evans, the Toyota championship leader, heads into the final day of Safari Rally Kenya with a significant advantage of nearly two minutes over Hyundai’s Ott Tanak. Teammate Kalle Rovanpera’s bid for victory declined during a chaotic Saturday, while Ireland’s Josh McErlean fell to 13th place overall after struggling in the day’s stages.

McErlean and co-driver Eoin Treacy began Saturday’s stages in seventh position; however, difficulties arose as they spent time repairing a broken steering arm during the opening stage, which dropped them to 15th place. Demonstrating impressive resilience, McErlean recorded the second fastest time on stage 15, following M-Sport teammate Grégoire Munster.

Evans, who started the day only 7.7 seconds ahead of Rovanpera, managed to win the first two stages and ended with a lead of one minute and 57.4 seconds over Tanak. Should he avoid any mishaps, Evans is poised to secure his first victory at the Safari Rally. “It’s definitely been a proper Safari so far,” remarked Evans. “Two minutes: Normally you would say that guarantees you a win but not here. On a rally like Kenya you have to weigh up the risk factor.”

In third place, Hyundai’s reigning champion Thierry Neuville trailed the leader by more than four and a half minutes, having encountered a series of punctures and challenging conditions. Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta, accompanied by Irish co-driver Aaron Johnston, secured fourth position. Neuville expressed, “I wasn’t feeling well at all after a bad night and struggled to keep my concentration and do my job, but we kept fighting and we were rewarded with third place overnight.”

Rovanpera’s chances of contesting the lead diminished when he faced a front-right tyre delamination followed by a front-left puncture. The rainy afternoon conditions exacerbated his struggles, leading to damage to the rear suspension, causing him to slip to fifth overall. The final day, scheduled for Sunday, will feature five more competitive stages.

In summary, Elfyn Evans maintains a commanding lead in the Safari Rally Kenya, with a two-minute advantage over Ott Tanak. Despite a tough day for Josh McErlean, who fell to 13th after early complications, he demonstrated resilience by posting a competitive stage time. Looking ahead, Evans is in a strong position to claim victory, while Rovanpera’s chances have dwindled due to mechanical issues. The final day promises to be decisive with five stages remaining.

Original Source: www.rte.ie