WRC Safari Rally: Why Toyota is the team to beat

Toyota was once reputed as the “King of Africa” from its near-total domination of the World Rally Championship Safari Rally, and Cote d’Ivoire Bandana rallies in the 80s and 90s.

The Japanese automaker dropped out of the WRC with the manufacturers’ crown in 1999 to prepare for their debut in F1 three years later. But they failed to sparkle, leaving empty-handed in 2009 and returned to the WRC in  2017 .

With two straight drivers’ titles, there are all indications that the Toyota are headed for a grand slam, and a possible team title.

World champion Sebastien Ogier, winner in Italy last week in a Toyota Gazoo Racing Yaris, leads the drivers’ championship standings with 106 points followed by team mate Elfyn Evans (95).

Katsuta Takamoto is lying fifth with 48 points. Ott Tanak gave Toyota its first drivers’ world championship crown in 2019 in a Toyota Yaris.

Toyota Gazoo Racing leads the manufacturers table with 231 points.

Hyundai are second with 182 and Ford third with 82.

Toyota hope to “return home” to extend their dominance by winning the Safari Rally for the first time since 1995 when Yoshio Fujimoto became the first Japanese to conquer the Kenyan leg of the WRC Series in a Toyota Celica Turbo.

Toyota is well tuned for this, according to Ryo Hasegawa from Toyota Motor Corporation in Japan who has been seconded to Toyota Kenya to assist in marketing.

“The WRC is returning to Kenya after  19 years. It is going to be an amazing event. Winning in Kenya is another step closer to the annual WRC title. In Portugal we had one, two, four finish.  We have also a Japanese national, Katsuta Takamoto. We again won in Sardinia in Italy last weekend,” Hasegawa said.

He said victory by a Japanese national coming 26 years after Fujimoto’s victory in 1995 would be special.

“That would be a very emotional win. Every Japanese, even in Japanese Media would say Katsuta.”   

He was speaking during the  handing over ceremony of two Toyota Hilux pick-up cars to the WRC CEO Phineas Kimathi at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani. The cars which will be used as route opening and safety vehicles during the Safari Rally.

Also present were Surinder Thatthi, the International Motorsport Federation (FIA) Vice President for Africa, and FIA experts  seconded to the Safari Rally to help with organisational matters, Iain Campbell and Dom Saunders.

“We are giving our best cars (Hilux) which are a cornerstone to our products that represents Toyota reliability,” said Hasegawa.

Surinder added: “The WRC is a quite a show in the world with increased viewers. I hope the Safari will be a good competition between Toyota, Hyundai and Ford, considering Toyota is currently doing very well by leading in the standings so far.”

Kimathi said that the Safari Rally has received Sh28 million cash sponsorship from Toyota Kenya. He said Toyota has built a strong reputation in Kenya, considering that the team has won seven Safari Rally titles.

The 1995 Safari Rally winning car, a Toyota Celica Twincam Turbo TC driven by Juha Kankkunen, was shipped from Toyota factory museum in Japan and is on display at the local franchise showroom along Mombasa Road.