- The WRC Safari Rally Kenya 2026 heads into its second day on Friday, March 13, with an action-packed schedule in Naivasha, Nakuru County.
- Toyota’s Oliver Solberg stormed into an early lead on Thursday evening, mastering treacherous conditions to close the opening leg with a commanding advantage.
- Drivers will kick things off with a second pass at Camp Moran (SS3) from 7:33 AM.
The third round of the World Rally Championship, the Safari Rally Kenya 2026, heads into its second day on Friday with an action-packed schedule across the rugged terrain of Naivasha, Nakuru County.
The sixth edition of the Safari Rally got off to a perfect start on Thursday, March 12, with the event flagged off by the Deputy President of Kenya, Professor Kithure Kindiki, alongside Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya, Sports PS Elijah Mwangi, and other high-ranking dignitaries including SportPesa CEO Ronald Karauri at the Wildlife Research and Training Institute (WRTI) service park in Naivasha.
The opening day of the four-day event kicked off on a high Thursday morning with the shakedown at a brand-new 6.31km Naivasha test.
Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville clocked the fastest time, setting an electrifying tone as he outpaced their fierce rivals from Toyota Gazoo Racing.
ALSO READ: Hyundai’s Neuville warns of surprises after setting early pace at WRC Safari Rally 2026
WRC Safari Rally Kenya Day 1 recap
However, with only two stages on the opening day, it was Toyota who have dominated this rally for years who ultimately ended Thursday with smiles.
Oliver Solberg stormed into an early lead on Thursday evening, mastering treacherous conditions to close the opening leg with a commanding advantage.
Heavy rain turned the opening stage near Naivasha into a muddy battlefield, with the 24.35km Camp Moran test proving decisive.
Solberg navigated the chaos with unmatched composure, guiding his Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 to a lead nearly half a minute ahead of teammate Elfyn Evans.
Evans held onto second overall despite running out of washer fluid mid-stage, battling through mud-splattered visibility until a late downpour cleared his windscreen.
Nine-time world champion Sebastien Ogier ended the day in third, more than a minute back, having predicted the early stages would produce major time swings.
Elsewhere, Takamoto Katsuta lost his intercom, forcing co-driver Aaron Johnston to rely on hand signals yet the pair finished just 10.2 seconds behind Ogier.
ALSO READ: WRC Safari Rally Kenya 2026: Stages, Changes made, Preview & where to watch
Fellow Toyota driver Sami Pajari trailed nearly a minute further behind.
With the field now taming one of the WRC’s toughest tracks, Friday promises even more thrills.
Drivers are set to tackle eight stages totalling 385.39km, snaking through Camp Moran, Loldia, Kengen Geothermal, and Mzabibu, with a repeated loop in the afternoon.
Day Two – Friday, March 13 WRC Safari Rally Fan Guide and Schedule
All times are in East Africa Time. The time shown marks the start of the livestream. Live timing updates will be available throughout the day.
Drivers kick things off with a second pass at Camp Moran (SS3) from 7:33am
Camp Moran was introduced as a new stage in 2025 and incorporates sections previously used in the Sleeping Warrior test.
It has been shortened for this year but remains incredibly rough and technical particularly from the 11km to 21km mark, which features relentless elevation changes, rocky patches, and jarring bumps.
At 9:11am, they will head to SS4 at Loldia.
Loldia retains last year’s configuration after a planned rough section was removed. The stage opens with mixed straights and junctions on roads of varying width. From 3.75km to 8km, it narrows into a slow, technical, and rugged climb.
After 8.2km, it descends still rough and twisty until 11.5km before opening up into faster, wider roads. Thierry Neuville famously broke his suspension here while leading in 2021.
At 10:29am, it’s time for SS5 at Kengen Geothermal 1.
The stage starts on a narrow, bumpy track before transitioning onto smoother, broader sections.
Around the 4km mark, rough patches reappear, and by 5.2km, the road tightens again for about a kilometre before smoothing out.
At 7.9km, it joins a wide, flowing road with cambered corners reminiscent of stages from Rally Mexico or the Acropolis Rally rather than the traditional Safari.
Then at 11:22am, they take on SS6 at Kedong 1.
This stage opens with a brand-new section that’s particularly rough, featuring rocky stretches, deep dips, and bumps.
About half the stage is new this year, combining fast sections on narrow tracks linked by junctions.
The afternoon loop repeats the magic
14:05pm – SS7 Kedong 2
15:03pm – SS8 Kengen Geothermal 2
16:01pm– SS9 Loldia 2
17:04pm – SS10 Mzabibu 2