Oliver Solberg Leads Toyota’s Top-Five Sweep in Weather-Affected Race

Oliver Solberg has taken an early lead in the Safari Rally Kenya, ahead of his Toyota World Rally Championship teammate Elfyn Evans, after inclement weather conditions wreaked havoc on the competition. Heading to the first service, Solberg held a 33.3-second advantage over Evans, while reigning champion Sebastien Ogier trailed by 1 minute and 5.1 seconds after just two stages. The challenging conditions were evident in the muddy terrain of the opening stage, Camp Moran, worsened by heavy rain, forcing drivers to focus on survival more than speed. Solberg, running second on the road, capitalized on better visibility than Evans to extend his lead significantly. Despite facing visibility issues, both drivers managed to navigate the tricky conditions skillfully. As Toyota dominated the top five spots, Takamoto Katsuta and Sami Pajari put up impressive performances while Thierry Neuville struggled in the tough conditions. Moving forward, the crews will face eight stages on Friday, covering 125 kilometers of intense rally competition.

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