Police estimate over 250,000 fans lined the stages this year, up from 188,000 in 2024
By MACHARIA MWANGI and WRC
They saved the best for last. After a lethargic start to this year’s Safari Rally, spectator-wise, the event sprung back into life on the last day Sunday morning with thousands of spectators eagerly attempting to reach the crowning stage of this World Rally Championship event at the famous Hell’s Gate National Park.
And they (those who made it, that is) were in for a humongous treat as Great Britain’s Elfyn Evans tamed the wilds of Kenya to claim a landmark victory and tighten his grip on the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) title race.
The Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 driver, co-driven by Scott Martin, beat Hyundai rival Ott Tänak by one minute 9.9 seconds to secure his second win of the season and in doing so, opened up the largest championship lead ever recorded after three rounds of a WRC campaign.
Evans arrived in Africa riding a wave of momentum following victory in Sweden and a runner-up finish at Rallye Monte-Carlo.
He must have been reinvigorated seeing, or hearing of, the busy Moi South Lake Road, off the main Maai Mahiu-Naivasha highway, virtually at a standstill as the gridlock left fans cursing.
Perhaps with information filtering in that the numbers of the fans had dwindled this year, many tried their luck.
However, and as ever, the Safari’s raw spectacle drew huge crowds – with police estimating over 250,000 fans lined the stages this year, up from 188,000 in 2024.
They were exasperated.
Momentarily, the rally attendees kept their engines running before switching them off, dozing off behind the wheels.
Police officers stationed to control traffic along the route tried their best but were overwhelmed.
A number of despairing fans sat by the roadside watching the unfolding scenario deep in thoughts… calculative, but bereft of options.
They had hoped to catch a piece of the action but time was running out. It is not what they had anticipated.
Others who spent the night making merry had to stay hydrated while the imbibing lot yet to get sober staggered, looking for an ideal place to take the much-needed rest.
Partying clearly had taken a toll on them.
“I joined the Moi South Lake road at around 9am but upto now I am still held up in the jam not sure if I will arrive at the last stage of the rally,” said journalist Anthony Gitonga.
With the well heeled arriving in choppers and flashy cars, the hustlers accessed the stage using their affordable means of transport – the Boda Boda.
And the riders were stylish, cruising along the busy Nairobi-Naivasha highway, keeping each other company.
Gallery Courtesy: Nicholas Mugambi
A number of fans came with their girlfriends, or “side-chicks”, as pillion, making a mockery of the traffic regulations.
Why leave their “queens” behind and this was the only moment that they had to demonstrate “true love” they have been confessing in private.
They came from all parts of the country, the police figures quite huge given that they fall into the category of the real hustlers.
Eric Kiragu, staff officer in charge of operations, said they were not prepared for the high number of motorcyclists and they were really taken aback.
“It is the first time we are experiencing such a phenomenon. I don’t even know whether it was a prearranged affair or it was just impulsive… we are doing all we can to contain the situation,”said the senior police officer.
Back at the Hell’s Gate National Park, it was a convivial mood as thousands of people waited for the completion of the rally.
The area, habited by wild animals, was temporarily converted into a human and machine habitation.
Scared zebras, jumpy gazelles and the “smiling” warthogs were invisible, retreating into their hideouts, perhaps shying away from the rumbling machines.
The park has always been scenic.
While others solely came to watch rally cars rumble in the jungle, others came for photo sessions, disinterested in the “rumbling in the jungle” where some of the famous film actors shot movies, including Lara Croft’s 2003 blockbuster ‘Tomb Raider – The Cradle of Life.”
The character ‘Mufasa’ also claims part of Hell’s Gate, with makers of ‘Lion King’ having romanced with this iconic Naivasha location to soak in its dramatic landscapes.
By the way, ‘Lion King’ is still showing at a theatre near you… grab a ticket!
Back into the route, dust-blowing rally drivers showcased their proficiency enroute to the final leg. They thrilled the fans who showed appreciation by cheering them on.
Although for some, the adrenalin was pumping too hard to notice the crowds. Like Kenyan legend Carl ‘Flash’ Tundo.
“To be honest, I was struggling with lack of power steering and didn’t notice the crowd… I lost power steering from yesterday,” “Flash” reacted at the end of the Hell’s Gate Power Stage run.
Navigated by another veteran Tim Jessop, “Flash” was the top Kenyan at 14th place in his Ford Fiesta R2, followed in 15th place by youngster Jeremiah Wahome in the cockpit of a Skoda R2 with compatriot Victor Okundi.
At the finish ramp, traditionally-bedecked Maasai morans entertained the drivers and fans, reminding the visitors of the rich Kenyan cultural heritage that has glued them together for years.
President William Ruto was present to cement this national feeling as the winners popped the champagne, bringing the curtain down on yet another successful rallying event on African soil.
The building traffic jam remained a Achilles’ heel for those returning back to their places of residence, ready for work Monday.
The event remains memorable and continues to gather credence.
Meanwhile, Evans – son of 1996 British Rally Championship winner and ex-WRC man Gwyndaf Evans – will hardly have time to fly back to his Welsh base at Dolgellau for some brief family time as an all-new challenge awaits next when the WRC heads to Rally Islas Canarias next month.
The asphalt fixture – based on Gran Canaria – takes place from 24 – 27 April.
Now, with a commanding 36-point advantage at the top of the drivers’ standings, the Welshman has carved out clear daylight between himself and his title rivals after the third of 14 rounds on Sunday.
His latest success was built across a punishing four-day route that began in Nairobi on Thursday and ventured deep into Kenya’s unforgiving Great Rift Valley..
Evans moved into the lead late on Friday when early pacesetter Tänak was delayed by a broken driveshaft on his Hyundai i20 N Rally1 – and from there, he never looked back.
It was far from a trouble-free run, however. He overcame tyre deflations and spins earlier in the rally, then carefully managed an electrical issue throughout Sunday’s final leg.
Tänak chipped away at the deficit across the closing stages, but Evans held firm to join a select group of British drivers to have conquered the Safari – following in the wheel tracks of legends Colin McRae and Richard Burns.
Tänak was joined on the podium by team-mate and reigning world champion Thierry Neuville, who finished 2min 22.1sec behind after a drama-filled weekend.
The Belgian’s troubles began on Friday with a one-minute time penalty after a delayed gearbox change, followed by further penalties for a jump start and a late arrival as he worked to repair damage to his car’s cooling package on Saturday.
Despite the setbacks, Hyundai’s double podium marked its best-ever result on the Safari.
In contrast – despite Evans’ victory – this was the first edition of the rally in which Toyota GAZOO Racing failed to place more than one car on the podium.
A Toyota 1-2 had looked likely until two-time world champion Kalle Rovanperä plummeted from second to fifth on Saturday afternoon with rear suspension damage.
His misfortune continued into Sunday, when he retired due to an electrical issue – leaving him trailing team-mate Evans by 57 points in the championship fight.
akamoto Katsuta was on course for a fourth-place finish after battling through multiple punctures and a bout of heat exhaustion, but damage sustained during a roll on the Wolf Power Stage prevented him from reaching the finish and promoted fellow Toyota driver Sami Pajari.
Meanwhile, Grégoire Munster overcame a gearbox problem to finish fifth in his M-Sport Ford Puma Rally1. Gus Greensmith won WRC2, finishing more than three minutes ahead of Jan Solans after the Spaniard rolled on SS18.
Gentleman driver Jourdan Serderidis placed eighth overall in another Puma, with Paraguay’s Fabrizio Zaldivar completing the WRC2 podium in ninth as Josh McErlean rounded out the top 10.
Leading results from the 2025 Safari Rally Kenya on Sunday:
1. Elfyn Evans (Great Britain), Toyota, 4 hours 20 minutes 3.8 seconds;
2. Ott Tanak (Estonia), Hyundai, +1min 09.9secs;
3. Thierry Neuville (Belgium), Hyundai, +3mins 32.0secs;
4. Sami Pajari (Finland), Toyota, +7mins 18.7secs;
5. Takamoto Katsuta (Japan), Toyota, +8mins 15.7secs;
6 Gregoire Munster (Luxembourg), Ford, +11mins 35.3secs;
Special stage winners:
Tanak 7 (SS2, SS3, SS4, SS6, SS8, SS16, SS17), Katsuta 4 (SS13, SS14, SS18, SS20), Evans 3 (SS1, SS11, SS12), Rovanpera 3 (SS5, SS9, SS10), Adrien Fourmaux 2 (SS19, SS21), Neuville 1 (SS7), Munster 1 (SS15).
FIA World Rally Championship drivers’ standings (provisional):
1. Elfyn Evans (Great Britain), Toyota, 88 points
2. Thierry Neuville (Belgium), Hyundai, 52
3. Ott Tanak (Estonia), Hyundai, 49
4. Takamoto Katsuta (Japan), Toyota 35
5. Sebastien Ogier (France), Toyota, 33
6. Kalle Rovanpera (Finland), Toyota, 31
11. Josh McErlean (Ireland), Ford, 7
ALL PHOTOS; NICHOLAS MUGAMBI
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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Good job Mwangi. This is a nice read!