2026 Safari Rally: Takamoto Katsuta tip toes through the "Sleeping Warrior" and survives.

NAIVASHA, KENYA:  Day three started with a brutal "fesh-fesh" filled morning loop that systematically dismantled the Toyota juggernaut. Entering the day, the Japanese manufacturer held a commanding 1-2-3-4 lockout, but the Safari is a predator that strikes when you’re most confident.

Championship leader Elfyn Evans, nine-time king Sébastien Ogier, and early leader Oliver Solberg all suffered heart-stopping drama. Punctures were the weapon of choice for the Kenyan terrain; Evans and Solberg both succumbed to double-flats, while Ogier’s charge was halted by a mechanical gremlin that saw him bleed time into the red dust. 

Through the chaos, Takamoto Katsuta found a rhythm that was both rapid and remarkably safe. He moved into the lead during the morning when Sami Pajari suffered a catastrophic rear-tyre explosion on SS12. Katsuta didn’t just survive; he attacked. His performance on SS14 Soysambu 2—the first stage after the midday regroup—was a masterclass in reading the shifting grip of the Rift Valley. 

Overall Standings After Day Two (Saturday, March 14, 2026)

Position	Driver / Co-Driver	Vehicle	Time / Gap
1	Takamoto Katsuta / Aaron Johnston	Toyota GR Yaris Rally1	2:44:38.2
2	Adrien Fourmaux / Alexandre Coria	Hyundai i20 N Rally1	+1:25.5
3	Sami Pajari / Marko Salminen	Toyota GR Yaris Rally1	+5:28.4
4	Esapekka Lappi / Enni Mälkönen	Hyundai i20 N Rally1	+6:18.1
5	Robert VIRVES / Jakko VIILO	Skoda Fabia RS	+9.422

The Speculation: A Sunday Shootout in the Sludge

As we look toward the final four stages tomorrow, including the iconic Hell’s Gate Power Stage, the narrative has shifted from "managing the dust" to "navigating the swamp."

• The Mud Factor: The cancellation of SS16 was a warning shot. The roads around Lake Naivasha have been transformed into a red, sticky slurry. If the rains continue overnight, the "hanging dust" that plagued Friday will be replaced by deep, treacherous ruts that can swallow a Rally1 car whole.
• Fourmaux’s Tactical Play: Adrien Fourmaux is in the form of his life. Currently P2, he has opted to protect his position rather than chase Katsuta at all costs. With over a minute to the lead, he’s gambling on Katsuta making a mistake in the mud—a classic Safari strategy.
• Toyota’s Redemption: While Katsuta leads, the rest of the Toyota squad will be on a "maximum attack" mission for Sunday points. Expect Ogier and Evans to take enormous risks on the Oserengoni stages to salvage what they can from a bruising weekend. 

Takamoto Katsuta is just four stages away from a maiden WRC victory. In the Safari, that can feel like an eternity. 

Report: Neil McDaid

Photos: Toyota, Hayundai,

2026 WRC Safari Rally, Mud, Dust, and Drama: Solberg leads out another commanding performance by Toyota

 

Naivasha, Kenya,  can’t just turn up to the Safari and expect it to behave. You don’t "race" Kenya; you negotiate with it, and on Thursday’s opening leg of the 2026 WRC Safari Rally, the Great Rift Valley was in no mood for compromise.

By the time the mud and dust settled around Lake Naivasha tonight, it was Oliver Solberg who emerged from the haze with a commanding lead. Now driving a Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 as a full-time factory man, the young Swede looked every bit the natural successor to the legends who have tamed this wilderness before him. But as any veteran of the Safari—from the era of Mehta to the modern day—will tell you, Thursday is merely the prologue to the pain.

The Top Five: A Toyota Takeover

Toyota Gazoo Racing has historically owned these plains, and Day One of 2026 suggests the script hasn't changed. They currently occupy the entire top five in a display of sheer mechanical dominance.

Pos	Driver	Car	Gap to Leader
1	Oliver Solberg	Toyota GR Yaris Rally1	—
2	Elfyn Evans	Toyota GR Yaris Rally1	+33.3s
3	Sébastien Ogier	Toyota GR Yaris Rally1	+1m05.1s
4	Takamoto Katsuta	Toyota GR Yaris Rally1	+1m15.3s
5	Sami Pajari	Toyota GR Yaris Rally1	+2m06.4s

Solberg was masterful, finding grip where others found only "fesh-fesh". Behind him, championship leader Elfyn Evans played the long game, mindful that his 13-point lead in the standings could evaporate in a single mud-hole. Ogier, returning for his partial program, remains the ultimate predator in the weeds, lurking just over a minute back.

Drama and Heartbreak

It wouldn't be the Safari without a casualty list that reads like a tragedy. The most significant retirement of the day belonged to Lancia’s Yohan Rossel. In a moment of pure Safari cruelty, Rossel clipped a hidden rock on a narrow section, ending his day prematurely and leaving teammate Nikolay Gryazin to fly the flag in WRC2.

Over at Hyundai, the mood is as dark as a Kenyan storm cloud. Thierry Neuville—so often the bridesmaid in Africa—admitted to having "zero confidence" after dropping nearly 45 seconds on the opening test. He’s currently mired in ninth, struggling with a car that seems to be fighting the terrain rather than flowing with it.

The Speculation: A Muddy Weekend Ahead?

The local word in Naivasha is that the rains are coming. If the dust turns to the infamous "black cotton" mud tomorrow, Solberg’s 33-second lead over Evans will mean nothing. We’ve seen Evans win here by being the last man standing, and with the Sleeping Warrior stage looming on Friday, the real Safari starts tomorrow.

Can Toyota maintain this 1-2-3-4-5? History says yes, but the African sky might have other plans.

Report: Neil McDaid

Photos: Toyota Gazoo, Jon Armstrong FB

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