Ogier conquers Safari as three Kenyans claim top-10 finishes

Kenyans Onkar Rai, Karan Patel and Carl ‘Flash’ Tundo bagged World Rally Championship points after impressively finishing in the top 10 of the Safari Rally won by Frenchman Sebastian Ogier of the Toyota Gazoo Racing Team.

The trio were competing in the WRC3 class with Onkar dedicating the feat to his elder brother Tejveer Rai, currently hospitalised after crashing out of the rally on Friday in Kedong.

Onkar was the best-ranked Kenya at position seven overall ahead of Patel who was eighth while Tundo, a five-time Safari Rally winner came home at position nine.

World Champion Ogier won the grueling event, beat his Toyoya Gazoo team-mate – Takamoto Katsuta – with Ott Tanak of Hyundai taking the final podium spot.

Frenchman Thierry Neuville, who had led the rally for the most time retired from the race after his Hyundai i20 broke its suspension after clipping a rock.

Japan’s Katsuta claimed his first WRC podium to seal Toyota Gazoo Racing’s fourth 1-2 result of the season. He finished 47.7sec ahead of Ott Tänak’s i20.

Tänak was fastest through the Wolf Power Stage to claim five bonus points. Kalle Rovanperä scored four points in second in a Yaris, with team-mate Elfyn Evans taking three in third. Ogier secured two points in fourth with Dani Sordo bagging the final point in fifth in an i20.

“One out of one is not so bad. We had amazing support from the people. It has been incredible. The people have been cheering for us. It is a beautiful country. It is a great win for us. After the trouble on Friday, we had a good weekend. Well done also to Taka. It was not easy to catch him. It was a great result for the team,” Ogier said.

Article by: Elizabeth Ngirau