Sebastian Ogier Wins WRC Safari Rally Kenya 2021

President Uhuru Kenyatta on June 27 awarded the 2020 World Rally Championship (WRC) Safari Rally winner Sebastian Ogier and his navigator, Julien Ingrassia, in Naivasha.

The seven-time world rally champion recovered from suspension trouble on Friday to clinch victory on the final day.

He landed an advantage when event leader Thierry Neuville’s hopes of winnings came to an end after breaking his Hyundai i20 suspension in Sunday’s morning stage.

Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta would assume the rally lead. But that was gradually sliced by a dominant Ogier who claimed two stage wins on Sunday.

Ogier would finally claim victory by 21.8 seconds becoming the first Safari Rally winner as the event commemorated its return to the World Rally Championship since 2002.

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“It’s been an amazing experience to be here. The support we got from the local people was incredible. It might be a bit shorter than the old days, but the challenge is still very tough,” said Ogier.

Japanese Takamoto Katsuta was impressive throughout, finishing second overall for his maiden WRC podium.

Hyundai’s Ott Tanak sealed the podium places third despite a series of mishaps through the event.

Ogier now extends his lead in the championship standings to 133 points; 33 points more than teammate Elfyn Evans.

There were also impressive returns for the local drivers. Kenya’s Onkar Rai hang on to his class lead to finish seventh overall and win the WRC 3 class. Karan Patel was second and Carl Tundo in third.

President Uhuru Kenyatta, while presiding over the event also announced that Kenya will continue hosting the WRC Safari Rally consecutively until 2026 after securing its hosting rights from International Automobile Federation (FIA) and the WRC after years of intense lobbying and preparations.

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He also noted that with the successful hosting of the 2021 WRC Safari Rally, Kenya has demonstrated to the world that it was prepared to host global events despite the logistical challenges posed by COVID-19.

“I am proud to say that after a 19 year-long pause, the Safari Rally is back home! Our efforts have paid off. We have staged a remarkable 2021 World Rally Championship (WRC) Safari Rally that has challenged both man and machine, and which will be remembered for many years to come,” Kenyatta said.

He also noted that the Kenyan leg of the WRC had confirmed the huge potential held by the country as a global motorsport destination.

“We dreamed and we delivered. We planned and we succeeded. Through all our collective efforts, it is now certain that ‘the greatest show in motorsport in Africa’ will continue to thrill and inspire long into the future,” said the Head of State.

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He congratulated the participants of the 2021 WRC Safari Rally and urged those that didn’t succeed not to be demotivated but press on for better results in future events.