The 2026 World Rally Championship is underway with the challenging Safari Rally in Kenya. Teams transition from cold conditions to the warm savanna, equipping their cars with special Safari specifications to navigate the demanding terrain. Many competitors have entered the rally, but only one will emerge victorious.
The opening stages saw Oliver Solberg secure a dominant lead. Still, his weekend ended in heartbreak when he sustained significant damage to his car, allowing Takamoto Katsuta to take the lead he had been striving for.
| Screengrab from WRC |
Takamoto Katsuta made headlines in Kenya by becoming the first Japanese driver to win a WRC round since Kenjiro Shinozuka's victory at the Ivory Coast Rally in 1992. Katsuta finished the race with a time of 3:16:05.6, finishing 27.4 seconds ahead of Adrien Fourmaux. Sami Pajari rounded out the podium by securing third place.
Despite retiring from second overall on the Saturday stages, Elfyn Evans leads the championship fight with 66 points.
The next event is the Croatia Rally from the 9th to the 12th of April, 2026.






