There is a strong entry for the toughest fixture of the FIA World Rally Championship hybrid era’s biggest test yet at Safari Rally Kenya (23 – 26 June).

The list contains 12 top-tier Rally1 cars as well as 10 cars in the WRC2 premier support category. WRC3 cars are also well-represented, with five Rally3-specification cars featured.

Championship leader Kalle Rovanperä heads the line-up for the sixth round of the season in Toyota Gazoo Racing’s GR Yaris. The Finn is joined by Sébastien Ogier, who replaces Esapekka Lappi to defend his Safari crown, and Elfyn Evans.

Takamoto Katsuta pilots a fourth GR Yaris for the Japanese manufacturer’s second-string squad.

M-Sport Ford fields an impressive five cars. Returning legend Sébastien Loeb joins Craig Breen, Gus Greensmith and Adrien Fourmaux in a fleet of hybrid-powered Puma Rally1 machines, while Greek driver Jourdan Serderidis will also pilot an additional car.

Thierry Neuville and Rally Italia Sardegna winner Ott Tänak represent Hyundai Motorsport in i20 N cars, with Oliver Solberg replacing Dani Sordo in the third entry for his fourth outing of the season.

Polish driver Kajetan Kajetanowicz tops the WRC2 contenders, in a Škoda Fabia Rally2 Evo. Martin Prokop, who crashed heavily in 2021, will also bring his Ford Fiesta Rally2, with Sean Johnston fielding a Citroën C3 Rally.

Other frontrunners are likely to include the Fabias of Raajpal Bharij and Gaurav Gill as well as Karan Patel and Leroy Gomes, who have entered Fiesta cars.

In WRC3, FIA Junior WRC driver Mcrae Kimathi is one of several local drivers entered, with Rally Italia Sardegna frontrunner Diego Dominguez also making the trip to Africa.

WRC