Rovanpera Leads Qualifiers on Day 2 of Safari Rally Kenya 2024

In a day filled with challenges, Kalle Rovanpera positioned himself as the leader of the 2024 WRC Safari Rally in Kenya. Rovanpera, driving a GR Yaris that seemed to face greater difficulties than his competitors' vehicles, managed to gain a significant advantage over Esapekka Lappi, placing himself at the top of the standings with over fifteen seconds ahead.

Rovanpera's performance was even more remarkable given that his vehicle faced issues, including a tire detachment. Despite these setbacks, the Finn managed to be the fastest in the second stage, narrowly beating Lappi. His words reflected his frustration with the car's performance, but his result spoke for itself.

Drivers faced difficult conditions, with high temperatures and demanding terrain that challenged the balance of their cars. This situation affected several competitors, including Ott Tanak and Thierry Neuville, who expressed dissatisfaction with the handling of their vehicles. The toughness of the route was particularly felt in the third stage, where Rovanpera suffered a puncture, while Neuville lost valuable time, affecting his position overall.

The Kedong stage proved to be a critical point for Rovanpera, who delivered an impressive performance, clocking a significantly faster time than Tanak, thereby extending his lead over Lappi. Rovanpera expressed satisfaction with the stage, despite not being entirely happy with his car's setup.

Tanak and Lappi's retirements on Friday afternoon changed the landscape, giving Rovanpera an even clearer advantage. With a series of consistent performances, Rovanpera solidified his position as the leader, while Elfyn Evans and Takamoto Katsuta completed a provisional 1-2-3 for Toyota, on a particularly tough day for the Hyundai team.

Lappi's retirement was attributed to a gearbox failure in his i20 N, a situation that expressed his frustration and Hyundai's team difficulty in facing the challenges of the Safari Rally. Demaison, Hyundai's technical director, acknowledged the gearbox as a weak point of the i20 N, a complex issue in the context of current homologation rules.

This Safari Rally continues to present a challenge for all competitors, where the resilience of the vehicles is tested in one of the toughest events in the WRC. The Rally continues on Saturday, with competitors ready to face the longest segment of the event, covering 160.96 kilometers of timed stages.