Ott Tänak Leads Rally Kenya Following Strong Thursday Performance

Ott Tänak of Estonia leads the 2025 WRC Rally Kenya after Thursday’s stages, with a 2.4-second advantage over Takamoto Katsuta. Elfyn Evans won the first special stage, while Tänak claimed the fastest time in the second, ensuring his overall lead. The rally resumes Friday at 6:28 a.m. Estonian time.

The 2025 World Rally Championship (WRC) season is in progress with Rally Kenya presenting its challenging terrain. Following Thursday’s racing, Estonia’s Ott Tänak, representing Hyundai, has emerged as the frontrunner, holding a lead of 2.4 seconds over his closest competitor, Takamoto Katsuta of Toyota.
The initial special stage was dominated by Elfyn Evans, the current World Championship leader, who finished with a time of 3 minutes 09.09 seconds. Kalle Rovanperä and Thierry Neuville secured joint second place, both 1.5 seconds off the pace. Tänak concluded the first special stage in fourth, trailing Evans by 2.2 seconds.
In the second stage, Tänak excelled by setting the best time, thereby seizing the overall leadership. Despite Katsuta’s strong performance, where he briefly held the lead at the midpoint, he ultimately finished second, 1.1 seconds behind Tänak. Gregoire Munster claimed third place, 2.3 seconds behind.
After Thursday’s events, the top three drivers remain Tänak, Katsuta, and Munster, with Katsuta positioned 2.4 seconds behind the leader and Munster trailing by 2.6 seconds. Additionally, Kalle Rovanperä, the previous year’s Safari Rally Kenya champion, is closely following in fourth, 3.0 seconds behind Tänak.
The rally will continue on Friday, starting at 6:28 a.m. Estonian time.

In summary, Ott Tänak leads the early stages of Rally Kenya, showcasing impressive speed and strategy to secure his position. Notably, he remains closely followed by Takamoto Katsuta and Gregoire Munster, with Kalle Rovanperä also in contention. The competition is set to resume, promising an exciting continuation of this rallying event.

Original Source: news.err.ee