Champions Toyota unleash four-car entry for WRC Safari Rally
The Toyota GR team of Kalle Rovenpera/Jonne Halttunen (centre) Elfyn Evans/Scott Martin (left) and Takamoto Katsuta/Aaron Johnston after sweeping the podium at last year’s WRC Safari Rally Kenya. The Toyota team will be back to Kenya to defend their title next month.
What you need to know:
- Prokop gave a good account of himself on day two of the Safari, setting second and third fastest stage times twice and four times respectively before retiring from a stalled engine in a Ford Fiesta R2.
The Toyota Gazoo Racing Team has entered a strong, four-car team in the 2023 WRC Safari Rally Kenya led by Finland’s world champion Kalle Rovanpera in the all-conquering Toyota GR Yaris R1 Hybrid car as the countdown for the African classic in Nairobi and Naivasha from June 23 to 26 gets underway with 48 days to go.
Canadian drivers Jason Bailey and James Willets will also battle it out with seasoned and up-and-upcoming Kenyan drivers in the Rally 3 category driving a Ford Fiesta R3.
Also, Czech WRC and rally raid ace driver Martin Prokop returns in his chase for Safari Rally’s finisher’s badge after failing to finish last year.
Prokop, the 2009 Junior WRC champion, navigated by compatriot Zdenek Jurka in a Ford Fiesta MK1 R2, brings freshness to this category which also features Kenyan champion Karan Patel in a Ford Fiesta.
Prokop gave a good account of himself on day two of the Safari, setting second and third fastest stage times twice and four times respectively before retiring from a stalled engine in a Ford Fiesta R2.
Kenyan Minesh Rathod, co-driven by Briton McTavish in a Mitsubishi Lancer EVO10, is the first driver to register in the Kenya National Rally Championship which will be part of the World Championship Safari Rally, said Safari Rally Clerk of Course Gurvi Bhabra while releasing the entries so far yesterday. Entries close on May 15.
There is already optimism and excitement from rally buffs eager to see another face-off between last year’s champion Rovanpera and 2021 winner Sebastien Ogier of France who is leading the 2023 championship.
