Defending champion Rovanpera eyes Safari Rally hat-trick as Tundo braces for tough race

Safari Rally champion Kalle Rovanpera reckons he has what it takes to conquer Kenya’s unforgiving terrains yet again for a third title when the WRC Safari Rally revs off today.
The Finnish ace dominated last year’s event, clocking 3:36:04 to clinch victory and bag 20 crucial championship points.
His Toyota Gazoo Racing teammate, Japan’s Takamoto Katsuta, secured second place in 3:37:41.8, while Frenchman Adrien Fourmaux completed the podium in 3:38:29.1.
Rovanpera’s first taste of Safari Rally glory came in 2022 when he stormed to victory in 3:40:24.9, ahead of Elfyn Evans (3:41:17.7) and Katsuta (3:42:07.6).
Alongside his trusted navigator Jonne Halttunen, the 24-year-old is determined to defend his title and cement his dominance on Kenyan soil.
“We have won it a few times so we’ll try to win it again. Not one of the easiest Rally’s to win but we will do my best,” Rovanpera said who is navigated by Jonne Halttunen.
“This is one of the most demanding rallies of the season. The conditions are brutal, but it’s an important event for me and Toyota. I’m excited to be here.”
While Rovanpera has ruled the Safari Rally in recent years, his 2025 WRC campaign has been a mixed bag. He opened the season with a sixth-place finish in Monte-Carlo before settling for fifth in Sweden.
With the Kenyan leg notorious for punishing both cars and drivers, the defending champion is banking on a more measured approach.
“We will just try to stay consistent and avoid all car troubles,” the 24-year-oldadded. Rovanpera got a feel of the course during Wednesday’s 5km shakedown at Sleeping Warrior and acknowledged that this year’s event could be even tougher.
“I think so far the car looks really good. This year it’s going to be rougher than before so I think it will be tougher,” he said.
Toyota has been the team to beat since the Safari Rally returned to the WRC calendar in 2021. Sebastien Ogier won the 2021 and 2023 editions, while Rovanpera secured the 2022 and 2024 crowns.
Rovanpera believes they can extend their dominance in Kenyan soil but remains wary of the unpredictability of the Safari Rally.
“We will be strong like before but you never know with the Rally, it is so unpredictable. We will for sure get a lot of competition,” he said.
Toyota currently leads the manufacturer’s standings after the two legs in Monte-Carlo and Sweden—sitting top on 120 points followed by Hyundai with 72 and M-Sport Ford with 25 points.
Rovanpera believes the conditions and course of the Safari Rally make it one of the most exciting stages of the WRC.
“In a way, it’s not one of the favorite’s to drive but the experience is really good, the weekend is always exciting,” he said. “The conditions and how you approach it makes it different from the other Rallies.”
Meanwhile, Katsuta Takamoto believes he has made crucial improvements and is eager to put in a strong performance in Kenya.
“This year I have improvements on my driving style, I was second in Sweden so I hope to do even better here in Kenya,” Takamoto said. In Sweden, Takamoto placed second after amassing 25 points behind Evans (35 points).
Competing in his fifth Safari Rally, Takamoto echoed Rovanpera’s sentiments, emphasizing the team’s collective ambition.: “Nice to be back here, it’s my fifth time racing at the Safari Rally. We hope to bring back a good performance for Toyota.”
Elsewhere, five-time Safari Rally champion Carl ‘Flash’ Tundo expects a grueling World Rally Championship event after a punishing 5km shakedown at Sleeping Warrior on Wednesday morning.
The shakedown, a crucial pre-rally test on a designated track, allows teams to finetune their setups before the high-stakes competition set to be flagged off today by President William Ruto at City Hall Way.
However, for Tundo and his long-time navigator Tim Jessop, it was a rough ride in their Ford Fiesta RC2, with mechanical issues surfacing early.
“Shakedown was rough, so we took it easy. The car has some issues, but we’ll sort them out tonight,” Tundo said.
Jessop highlighted troubles with the rev limiter, a setback compounded by the brutal nature of the Sleeping Warrior terrain.
“The track was rough, rocky and dusty…not ideal, but necessary. We only did one run and came back. The rev-limiter isn’t boosting past a certain point, but the team will check it overnight,” he explained.
With the legendary rally’s notorious opening stages looming, Tundo emphasized the importance of a clean run on Friday before mounting a serious charge over the weekend.
“The goal is to survive Friday unscathed because the course is extremely rough. Then we’ll reassess and push on Saturday and Sunday,” he noted