Ott Tänak Secures Second Place at Rally Kenya Ahead of Final Day

Ott Tänak is second in Rally Safari Kenya with a time deficit of 1:57.4 to leader Elfyn Evans. The Estonian aims to improve his standings after overcoming technical troubles in the challenging gravel rally conditions. With five stages remaining, the competition intensifies between Tänak and Evans, as other competitors face difficulties.

Ott Tänak, representing Hyundai, is positioned in second place heading into the final day of Rally Safari Kenya, part of the 2025 WRC season. He trails first-place driver Elfyn Evans from Toyota by 1:57.4 after having completed 16 challenging stages. Tänak’s previous performances include a fifth place in the Monte Carlo Rally and a fourth in last month’s Rally Sweden.

The Rally Safari Kenya is the season’s first gravel rally, marked by difficult, rocky terrain and wildlife along the route. Throughout the event, several drivers, including Tänak and his co-driver Martin Järveoja, have faced various challenges. Tänak, a former world champion, has achieved only one podium finish in Kenya, back in 2021, and aims to improve on this record.

In the shakedown run on Wednesday, Tänak placed third, just behind teammate Thierry Neuville. He initially took the lead on Thursday but fell to third due to technical difficulties on Friday, despite winning four stages and building a significant lead early on. After suffering mechanical issues, he lost time and dropped behind Evans, who regained the lead.

On Saturday, Evans navigated the muddy conditions effectively, extending his lead. Tänak recorded the fourth-best times in the initial stages of Saturday and ultimately finished second in the 13th stage, reducing his overall disadvantage after Rovanperä experienced issues. Rovanperä’s puncture subsequently allowed Tänak to move back into second after the penultimate stage and he concluded the day by winning the 16th stage convincingly.

Heading into the final day of racing, Evans maintains a significant lead of nearly two minutes over Tänak, while Neuville has climbed to third place, trailing Tänak by 2.5 minutes. Rovanperä’s troubles demoted him to fifth place overall, behind his teammate Takamoto Katsuta. The last day features five stages totaling 65.99 kilometers, commencing at 5:42 a.m. Estonian time.

Ott Tänak is currently in second place at the Rally Safari Kenya as it approaches its final day, sitting 1:57.4 behind leader Elfyn Evans. With a challenging course and difficult conditions, Tänak has fought through adversities, including mechanical failures, to secure his position. The upcoming stages will be critical as he aims to conquer the substantial gap between him and Evans, who leads by nearly two minutes.

Original Source: news.err.ee