Elfyn Evans Secures Victory in Rally Kenya; Ott Tänak Claims First Podium of the Season

Elfyn Evans won the Rally Kenya, marking his second consecutive victory, with Ott Tänak finishing second after a driveshaft failure dropped him from first to third position. Thierry Neuville secured third place, while Adrien Fourmaux won the stage and bonus points. In WRC2, Gus Greensmith emerged victorious. Evans leads the WRC standings with 88 points ahead of Neuville and Tänak.

Elfyn Evans (Toyota) achieved his second consecutive victory in the World Rally Championship by winning the third round held in Kenya. Estonian competitor Ott Tänak (Hyundai) finished in second place, trailing Evans by a significant margin of 1 minute and 9.9 seconds. Despite making a strong start and winning five of the first eight stages, Tänak’s chance at victory was hindered when his driveshaft failed during the ninth stage, dropping him from first to third.

Following Tänak’s mechanical failure, Evans seized the lead and maintained it through to the end of the rally, without having to exert excessive pressure. His main rival, Kalle Rovanperä (Toyota), was forced to withdraw from the competition due to a suspension failure. Throughout the event, Evans finished in the top three across 11 stages, despite winning only three.

After the race, Evans expressed gratitude towards the Kenyan spectators, stating, “I want to thank all the Kenyan people for their warm welcome. An incredible rally! I’m very proud to now be a small part of this special rally’s history.” Tänak completed the rally with a conservative strategy, aiming to secure a podium finish, resulting in a second-place overall finish.

Thierry Neuville (Hyundai), the reigning world champion, claimed third place despite experiencing setbacks from three time penalties incurred on Friday. The fastest time on Sunday’s stage was recorded by Adrien Fourmaux (Hyundai), while Tänak managed to secure three points from the day’s performance.

In WRC2, Gus Greensmith (Skoda) emerged victorious, finishing seventh overall, followed by Jan Solans (Toyota) in second and Fabrizio Zaldivar (Skoda) in third. The current WRC standings see Evans leading with 88 points, followed by Neuville with 52 points and Tänak with 49 points. The next round of the championship is slated to occur in the Canary Islands from April 24 to 27.

In conclusion, Elfyn Evans’s triumph in Rally Kenya spotlights his solid performance and resilience, while Ott Tänak’s second-place finish underscores his ongoing competitiveness despite technical challenges. The rally showcased the unpredictability of the sport, highlighted by Kalle Rovanperä’s unfortunate exit. With Evans leading the standings, the anticipation builds for the upcoming round in the Canary Islands.

Original Source: news.err.ee