- A major blow to Toyota Gazoo Racing after the leading trio were all ruled out of the remainder of Saturday’s action at the 2026 WRC Safari Rally Kenya.
- Solberg’s Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 developed electrical and transmission problems on the liaison section, while Ogier’s car came to an abrupt halt after an alternator failure struck on the road section.
- Championship leader Elfyn Evans was also forced to stop after suffering rear-right suspension damage while running second overall.
Things have seriously heated up in the third leg of the World Rally Championship at the Safari Rally Kenya, after defending manufacturers’ champions Toyota Gazoo Racing were dealt a massive blow –three of their drivers were forced to retire early on Saturday.
The leading trio of Oliver Solberg, Sebastien Ogier, and Elfyn Evans were all ruled out of the remainder of Saturday’s action following a dramatic turn of events on Day Three in Naivasha.
Solberg had fought his way through a grueling morning loop with a 42.6s lead over Ogier, but both Toyota teammates ground to a halt on their way back to midday service.
Toyota’s WRC Safari Rally charge crumbles as leading trio forced to retire
The pair had made it through the punishing Sleeping Warrior stage, but could not keep going after that.
Solberg’s Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 suffered electrical and transmission issues on the liaison route, while Ogier’s machine came to a sudden stop when an alternator problem hit on the road section.
Those retirements followed an earlier blow for Toyota Gazoo Racing on the same stage, where championship leader Elfyn Evans was forced to stop with rear-right suspension damage while running second overall.
In the span of just one stage and the return to service, Toyota’s dominant 1-2-3 hold on the rally was completely wiped out.
Both Solberg and Ogier had battled through brutal conditions on the 31km Sleeping Warrior test.
Solberg drove much of it virtually blind after running out of washer fluid in thick mud, while Ogier set the fastest time to dramatically close in on the rally leader.
“The last stage was quite muddy and tough, and the mud went into the engine side and broke the alternators for both of them,” deputy team principal Juha Kankkunen explained.
“Oliver also has a little bit of, let’s say, a transmission problem as well, and Elfyn we know already, so it hasn’t been the best morning.
“I mean; I have been in Kenya so many times that it doesn’t surprise me when something like that happens. The conditions have been really tough and, let’s say, the cars should be built for that. But in those muddy conditions it can go everywhere.
“Water is not that bad, but the stiff mud sticks everywhere and that can cause problems. It went into the alternator and broke the pulley, let’s say, and things all get stuck.”
As a result, Katsuta who ended the loop sitting in third, 1m33.6s behind Solberg, has now vaulted into a 1m07.5s lead over Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville. Katsuta is now in a prime position to claim his maiden WRC win.
“It is super muddy and tricky and we have no spare so I completely backed off,” Katsuta said at the end of Sleeping Warrior. “It is better to stay in the game and anything can happen in the afternoon.”