By MACHARIA MWANGI and WRC
The belching steam letting out a cloud of smoke and the reflective obsidian rocks at the panoramic Ol Karia area of Naivasha were a sight to behold as rally drivers, for the first time in history, made their way into the green energy sanctuary.
The Gigantic Fishers tower “swallowed” the low flying World Rally Championship TV helicopter as the aerial camera crew kept tabs with the drivers, leaving some of the rally faithful in awe, while others fearing for the worst.
The airborne crew relished the time, with the pilot demonstrating swift manoeuvres to the contentment of the adoring crowd.
Some had only witnessed such jaw-dropping moments in blockbuster western movies, the towering cliffs – nature’s marvels – offering refuge and bird eye view for young fans, eager not to miss the memorable occurrence.
Fans made it into the rallying circuit early Friday morning to watch speedsters “dance” along the tricky sharp beds to their amusement, highlighting the growing influence of the World Rally Championship (WRC).
Meanwhile, on Saturday morning, Toyota GAZOO’s Briton Elfyn Evans landed a brace of stage wins to tighten his grip, stretching his lead to one minute, 32.5 seconds as teammate, Finland’s Kalle Rovanperä, hit tyre trouble.
Friday’s 13.12-kilometre Geothermal Stage had all the frills and thrills that the sporting fraternity were yearning for, with the swift twist and turns by the world driving finest heart throbbing.
Nostalgic some would say…
Lingering memories were captured on individual mobile phones as nature blended with the rally cars.
Staff members from the power-generating company, KenGen, came out in their numbers to witness the world’s top drivers showcase their art while battling for top accolades in their backyard.
Waving miniature flags, they danced while waiting for the first car to zoom by, with the scheduled time being 10:15am. After the customary briefing by their seniors, they were ready for the splendid moment and the speed merchants did not disappoint, blowing dust while skillfully navigating the winding course with dexterity.
“It is my first time to watch the rally cars. I don’t know what to expect. But for me It is a mixed feeling,” said intern Denver Chepkemoi.
Her mate and professional colleague Elema Atho was also in the “mixed feeling zone” watching the cars.”
“I am happy that my first experience has been awesome. It is fun …,” she said, while sipping a cup of tea provided by the power generating company.
During a side interview, the company’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Engineer Peter Njenga, said they were proud to host the rally at Geothermal for the “very first time in the history of Kenya.”
“The firm is keen on making the competition more sustainable. This year, we have introduced Geothermal EV charging stations to help reduce the carbon footprint, we are demonstrating how renewable energy can support green mobility through sports,” he said.
The company, he revealed, generates 60 percent of the country’s electricity, with 90 percent being green sources. He said the company was currently producing 754 MW at Ol Karia, reinforcing the country’s growing stature in the green energy space.
Meanwhile, WRC points leader Elfyn Evans led the rally after a dramatic and attritional Friday leg, as frontrunner Ott Tänak fell foul of mechanical problems late in the day.
In true Safari fashion, few crews emerged unscathed from the rally’s first full day, which featured eight brutal gravel speed tests across the Great Rift Valley.
Over half the Rally1 field had suffered issues on Friday – a stark reminder of the rally’s unforgiving nature.
Tänak had looked unstoppable early on, storming to four stage wins and opening up a lead of nearly one minute.
But disaster struck in the afternoon when a driveshaft failure left his Hyundai i20 N Rally1 with only rear-wheel drive.
The Estonian haemorrhaged time across the final two tests, dropping to third overall with an overnight deficit of 55.4sec.
That opened the door for Toyota GAZOO Racing’s Evans, who steadily climbed the order in his GR Yaris Rally1 with a clean and consistent performance – despite not setting a single fastest time.
The Welshman, who arrived in Kenya with a 28-point championship lead, ended the day with a slender buffer over team-mate Kalle Rovanperä – a rear-right tyre deflation near the finish of the final stage being his only notable scare.
Rovanperä was just 7.7 seconds adrift in second and might have been leading himself but for a spin on a particularly narrow section of the Kedong stage, which saw him lose time trying to get his car pointed in the right direction.
Aside from that mishap, the Finn also enjoyed a relatively drama-free day.
“It’s been a difficult day and we’ve erred on the side of caution,” said Evans.
“Obviously some guys have had trouble, which is unfortunate, but it’s part of the Safari. It’s a bit frustrating sometimes because you feel like you can take a bit more risk and go a bit faster, but I keep reminding myself where we are.
“It’s a shame for Ott, obviously, to have a mechanical [failure] like that. You never know in this game if it’s because the car has had an impact or if it’s just a standard failure, but it’s a shame for him because he was going well.”
Tänak wasn’t the only Hyundai driver to hit trouble.
Reigning champion Thierry Neuville’s day began with a one-minute penalty after his i20 N was delayed leaving service due to a gearbox change.
More issues followed – including a jump start (+10sec), a debeaded tyre, and a further 50sec penalty for lateness to SS8 after another technical glitch.
Despite the setbacks, Neuville reached the overnight halt in fourth, 36.0sec behind Tänak.
Adrien Fourmaux, who had rejoined under restart rules following an electrical issue on Thursday, retired again when a front-right steering arm broke on SS7.
The Frenchman had been nursing a puncture and drove almost 10 kilometres with the flailing tyre before the suspension finally gave way.
It wasn’t a smooth ride for Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta either.
Tyre damage early in the day put him out of contention, and a similar issue in the Geothermal test cost more time. He ended Friday fifth overall, more than four minutes off the lead.
Just behind was team-mate Sami Pajari, also delayed by tyre woes, while seventh-placed Josh McErlean led M-Sport Ford’s charge after an eventful afternoon.
The Irishman battled through problems that included a squashed exhaust and a boot floor punctured by a loose spare wheel.
WRC2 leader Kajetan Kajetanowicz sat eighth overall after seizing the top spot from Oliver Solberg, who got stuck in a deep section of fesh-fesh on SS7.
The Pole, driving a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 for the first time, held a narrow advantage over category rivals Gus Greensmith and Jan Solans.
Saturday’s leg brings another six gruelling tests covering 146.50 kilometres.
There was no easing into the day for the FIA World Rally Championship crews.
After a bruising Friday, Saturday’s first half brought more punishment – deep ruts, rocky tracks and plenty of standing water, with some sections resembling full-on mud baths.
Evans started the day 7.7 seconds clear and immediately made a statement on Sleeping Warrior.
Despite sustaining rear tyre damage towards the end of the 26.97-kilometre test, he still managed to pull 8.2 seconds further ahead of Toyota GAZOO Racing team-mate Rovanperä.
Rovanperä hit back on Elmenteita – but not in the way he would have hoped.
A front-right deflation in the final five kilometres saw him haemorrhage 21.1sec to the Welshman, and things went from bad to worse on the following stage at Soysambu.
There, a front-left puncture cost the Finn a further 55.5 seconds, leaving him trailing Evans by 1min 32.5sec at the midday halt.
Thierry Neuville also lost time early on.
The Hyundai driver fell to fifth after stopping to change a wheel on the day’s opener.
That handed fourth to Takamoto Katsuta, who overcame a half spin on Sleeping Warrior and ended the loop one minute 29.4 seconds clear of Neuville. Katsuta, who went fastest on SS13, trailed Tänak by one minute, 47.7 seconds.
Sami Pajari remained unchallenged in sixth overall, while Jan Solans overtook Gus Greensmith to claim seventh and the WRC2 lead.
Greensmith was eighth while Grégoire Munster and Fabrizio Zaldivar rounded out the top 10.
PHOTOS:
NICHOLAS MUGAMBI (RALLY ACTION/ KASARANI SS FANS)
MACHARIA MWANGI (GEOTHERMAL FANS)
Macharia Mwangi is a seasoned journalist with more than 20 years’ experience. Previously, he worked with Nation Media Group for 19 years.
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