2021 Safari Rally

2021 Safari Rally Safari Rally Kenya 2021
Round 6 of 12 in the 2021 World Rally Championship ← Previous event Next event →
The opening ceremony of the rally.
Host country	Kenya
Rally base	Nairobi, Nairobi County
Dates run	24 – 27 June 2021
Start location	Kasarani, Nairobi
Finish location	Hell's Gate National Park, Naivasha
Stages	18 (320.19 km; 198.96 miles)
Stage surface	Gravel
Transport distance	813.17 km (505.28 miles)
Overall distance	1,133.94 km (704.60 miles)
Statistics
Crews registered	58
Crews	52 at start, 26 at finish
Overall results
Overall winner	Sébastien Ogier Julien Ingrassia Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT 3:18:11.3
Power Stage winner	Ott Tänak Martin Järveoja Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT 6:06.4
Support category results
WRC-2 winner	no classified finishers
WRC-3 winner	Onkar Rai Drew Sturrock 3:47:37.7

The 2021 Safari Rally (also known as the Safari Rally Kenya 2021) was a motor racing event for rally cars that was held over four days between 24 and 27 June 2021. It marked the sixty-ninth running of the Safari Rally. The event was the sixth round of the 2021 World Rally Championship, World Rally Championship-2 and World Rally Championship-3. The 2021 event was based in Nairobi in the Nairobi County and was contested over eighteen special stages totalling 320.19 km (198.96 mi) in competitive distance.

Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia won the rally. Their team, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT, were the manufacturer's winners. There were no classified finishers in the World Rally Championship-2 category. Local hero Onkar Rai and Drew Sturrock won the World Rally Championship-3 category.

At the age of ninety-one, Polish driver Sobiesław Zasada became the oldest competitor to start a World Rally Championship event.

Background

Championship standings prior to the event

Reigning World Champions Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia entered the round with an eleven-point lead over Elfyn Evans and Scott Martin. Thierry Neuville and Martijn Wydaeghe were third, a further eighteen points behind. In the World Rally Championship for Manufacturers, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT held a massive a forty-nine-point lead over defending manufacturers' champions Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT, followed by M-Sport Ford WRT.

In the World Rally Championship-2 standings, Andreas Mikkelsen and Ola Fløene held a two-point lead ahead of Mads Østberg and Torstein Eriksen in the drivers' and co-drivers' standings respectively, with Marco Bulacia Wilkinson and Marcelo Der Ohannesian in third. In the teams' championship, Movisport and Toksport WRT co-led the championship, with M-Sport Ford WRT in third.

In the World Rally Championship-3 standings, Yohan Rossel and Alexandre Coria lead drivers' and co-drivers' championship respectively. Kajetan Kajetanowicz and Maciek Szczepaniak were second, trailed by Nicolas Ciamin and Yannick Roche.

Entry list

The following crews entered the rally. The event was opened to crews competing in the World Rally Championship, its support categories, the World Rally Championship-2 and World Rally Championship-3, and privateer entries that are not registered to score points in any championship. Eleven entries for the World Rally Championship were received, as were four in the World Rally Championship-2 and six in the World Rally Championship-3.

Rally1 entries competing in the World Rally Championship

No.	Driver	Co-Driver	Entrant	Car	Tyre
1	Sébastien Ogier	Julien Ingrassia	Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT	Toyota Yaris WRC	P
2	Oliver Solberg	Aaron Johnston	Hyundai 2C Competition	Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC	P
6	Dani Sordo	Borja Rozada	Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT	Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC	P
7	Pierre-Louis Loubet	Florian Haut-Labourdette	Hyundai 2C Competition	Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC	—N/a
8	Ott Tänak	Martin Järveoja	Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT	Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC	P
11	Thierry Neuville	Martijn Wydaeghe	Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT	Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC	P
16	Adrien Fourmaux	Renaud Jamoul	M-Sport Ford WRT	Ford Fiesta WRC	P
18	Takamoto Katsuta	Daniel Barritt	Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT	Toyota Yaris WRC	P
33	Elfyn Evans	Scott Martin	Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT	Toyota Yaris WRC	P
37	Lorenzo Bertelli	Simone Scattolin	M-Sport Ford WRT	Ford Fiesta WRC	P
44	Gus Greensmith	Chris Patterson	M-Sport Ford WRT	Ford Fiesta WRC	P
69	Kalle Rovanperä	Jonne Halttunen	Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT	Toyota Yaris WRC	P
Source:

Rally2 entries competing in the World Rally Championship-2

No.	Driver	Co-Driver	Entrant	Car	Tyre
20	Andreas Mikkelsen	Ola Fløene	Toksport WRT	Škoda Fabia R5 Evo	—N/a
21	Marco Bulacia Wilkinson	Marcelo Der Ohannesian	Toksport WRT	Škoda Fabia R5 Evo	—N/a
22	Teemu Suninen	Mikko Markkula	M-Sport Ford WRT	Ford Fiesta R5 Mk. II	—N/a
23	Martin Prokop	Zdeněk Jůrka	M-Sport Ford WRT	Ford Fiesta R5 Mk. II	P
Source:

Rally2 entries competing in the World Rally Championship-3

No.	Driver	Co-Driver	Entrant	Car	Tyre
24	Onkar Rai	Drew Sturrock	Onkar Rai	Volkswagen Polo GTI R5	P
25	Carl Tundo	Tim Jessop	Carl Tundo	Volkswagen Polo GTI R5	P
26	Tejveer Rai	Gareth Dawe	Tejveer Rai	Volkswagen Polo GTI R5	P
27	Karan Patel	Tauseef Khan	Karan Patel	Ford Fiesta R5	P
28	Aakif Virani	Azhar Bhatti	Aakif Virani	Škoda Fabia R5	P
29	Daniel Chwist	Kamil Heller	Daniel Chwist	Ford Fiesta R5 Mk. II	P
Source:

Other major entries

No.	Driver	Co-Driver	Entrant	Car	Tyre
36	Sobiesław Zasada	Tomasz Borysławski	M-Sport Poland	Ford Fiesta Rally3	P
Source:

Route

Itinerary

All dates and times are EAT (UTC+3).

Leg	Date	Time	No.	Stage name	Distance
—N/a	23 June	13:01	—	Loldia [Shakedown]	2.89 km
1	24 June	14:08	SS1	Super Special Kasarani	4.84 km
	25 June	08:09	SS2	Chui Lodge 1	13.34 km
		09:05	SS3	Kedong 1	32.68 km
		10:18	SS4	Oserian 1	18.87 km
		13:46	SS5	Chui Lodge 2	13.34 km
		14:42	SS6	Kedong 2	32.68 km
		15:55	SS7	Oserian 2	18.87 km
2	26 June	08:08	SS8	Elmenteita 1	14.67 km
		09:08	SS9	Soysambu 1	20.33 km
		10:22	SS10	Sleeping Warrior 1	31.04 km
		14:05	SS11	Elmenteita 2	14.67 km
		15:08	SS12	Soysambu 2	20.33 km
		16:22	SS13	Sleeping Warrior 2	31.04 km
3	27 June	07:26	SS14	Loldia 1	11.33 km
		08:38	SS15	Hell's Gate 1	10.56 km
		10:45	SS16	Malewa	9.71 km
		11:25	SS17	Loldia 2	11.33 km
		13:18	SS18	Hell's Gate 2 [Power Stage]	10.56 km
Source:

Report

World Rally Cars

Classification

Position		No.	Driver	Co-driver	Entrant	Car	Time	Difference	Points
Event	Class								Event	Stage
1	1	1	Sébastien Ogier	Julien Ingrassia	Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT	Toyota Yaris WRC	3:18:11.3	0.0	25	2
2	2	18	Takamoto Katsuta	Daniel Barritt	Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT	Toyota Yaris WRC	3:18:33.1	+21.8	18	0
3	3	8	Ott Tänak	Martin Järveoja	Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT	Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC	3:19:20.8	+1:09.5	15	5
4	4	44	Gus Greensmith	Chris Patterson	M-Sport Ford WRT	Ford Fiesta WRC	3:20:05.9	+1:54.6	10	0
5	5	16	Adrien Fourmaux	Renaud Jamoul	M-Sport Ford WRT	Ford Fiesta WRC	3:20:06.0	+1:54.7	12	0
6	6	69	Kalle Rovanperä	Jonne Halttunen	Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT	Toyota Yaris WRC	3:29:04.7	+10:53.4	8	4
10	7	33	Elfyn Evans	Scott Martin	Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT	Toyota Yaris WRC	4:07:34.0	+49:22.7	1	3
11	8	37	Lorenzo Bertelli	Simone Scattolin	M-Sport Ford WRT	Ford Fiesta WRC	4:08:28.3	+50:17.0	0	0
12	9	6	Dani Sordo	Borja Rozada	Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT	Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC	4:21:30.8	+1:03:19.5	0	1
Retired SS15		11	Thierry Neuville	Martijn Wydaeghe	Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT	Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC	Damper		0	0
Retired SS5		2	Oliver Solberg	Aaron Johnston	Hyundai 2C Competition	Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC	Roll cage		0	0
Did not start		7	Pierre-Louis Loubet	Florian Haut-Labourdette	Hyundai 2C Competition	Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC	Crew swap		0	0

Special stages

Day	Stage	Stage name	Length	Winners	Car	Time	Class leaders
23 June	—	Loldia [Shakedown]	2.89 km	Ogier / Ingrassia	Toyota Yaris WRC	3:42.6	—N/a
24 June	SS1	Super Special Kasarani	4.84 km	Ogier / Ingrassia	Toyota Yaris WRC	3:21.5	Ogier / Ingrassia
25 June	SS2	Chui Lodge 1	13.34 km	Neuville / Wydaeghe	Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC	9:47.7	Neuville / Wydaeghe
	SS3	Kedong 1	32.68 km	Neuville / Wydaeghe	Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC	16:52.3
	SS4	Oserian 1	18.87 km	Rovanperä / Halttunen	Toyota Yaris WRC	12:39.3
	SS5	Chui Lodge 2	13.34 km	Rovanperä / Halttunen	Toyota Yaris WRC	9:59.9	Rovanperä / Halttunen
	SS6	Kedong 2	32.68 km	Neuville / Wydaeghe	Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC	16:52.1	Neuville / Wydaeghe
	SS7	Oserian 2	18.87 km	Ogier / Ingrassia Katsuta / Barritt	Toyota Yaris WRC Toyota Yaris WRC	12:52.1
26 June	SS8	Elmenteita 1	14.67 km	Neuville / Wydaeghe	Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC	9:01.4
	SS9	Soysambu 1	20.33 km	Ogier / Ingrassia	Toyota Yaris WRC	14:11.9
	SS10	Sleeping Warrior 1	31.04 km	Ogier / Ingrassia	Toyota Yaris WRC	17:26.6
	SS11	Elmenteita 2	14.67 km	Ogier / Ingrassia	Toyota Yaris WRC	8:47.5
	SS12	Soysambu 2	20.33 km	Tänak / Järveoja	Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC	13:52.7
	SS13	Sleeping Warrior 2	31.04 km	Sordo / Rozada	Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC	17:25.0
27 June	SS14	Loldia 1	11.33 km	Ogier / Ingrassia	Toyota Yaris WRC	7:37.1
	SS15	Hell's Gate 1	10.56 km	Evans / Martin	Toyota Yaris WRC	3:14.3	Katsuta / Barritt
	SS16	Malewa	9.71 km	Fourmaux / Jamoul	Ford Fiesta WRC	7:01.1	Ogier / Ingrassia Katsuta / Barritt
	SS17	Loldia 2	11.33 km	Ogier / Ingrassia	Toyota Yaris WRC	7:35.0	Ogier / Ingrassia
	SS18	Hell's Gate 2 [Power Stage]	10.56 km	Tänak / Järveoja	Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC	6:06.4

Championship standings

Pos.		Drivers' championships				Co-drivers' championships				Manufacturers' championships
		Move	Driver	Points		Move	Co-driver	Points		Move	Manufacturer	Points
1			Sébastien Ogier	133			Julien Ingrassia	133			Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT	273
2			Elfyn Evans	99			Scott Martin	99			Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT	214
3			Thierry Neuville	77			Martijn Wydaeghe	77			M-Sport Ford WRT	109
4			Ott Tänak	69			Martin Järveoja	69			Hyundai 2C Competition	28
5			Takamoto Katsuta	66			Daniel Barritt	66

World Rally Championship-2

Classification

Position		No.	Driver	Co-driver	Entrant	Car	Time	Difference	Points
Event	Class								Class	Stage	Event
Retired SS6		23	Martin Prokop	Zdeněk Jůrka	M-Sport Ford WRT	Ford Fiesta R5 Mk. II	Crash		0	0	0
Did not start		20	Andreas Mikkelsen	Ola Fløene	Toksport WRT	Škoda Fabia R5 Evo	Withdrawn		0	0	0
Did not start		21	Marco Bulacia Wilkinson	Marcelo Der Ohannesian	Toksport WRT	Škoda Fabia R5 Evo	Withdrawn		0	0	0
Did not start		22	Teemu Suninen	Mikko Markkula	M-Sport Ford WRT	Ford Fiesta R5 Mk. II	Withdrawn		0	0	0

Special stages

Day	Stage	Stage name	Length	Winners	Car	Time	Class leaders
23 June	—	Loldia [Shakedown]	2.89 km	Prokop / Jůrka	Ford Fiesta R5 Mk. II	4:17.9	—N/a
24 June	SS1	Super Special Kasarani	4.84 km	Prokop / Jůrka	Ford Fiesta R5 Mk. II	3:39.6	Prokop / Jůrka
25 June	SS2	Chui Lodge 1	13.34 km	Prokop / Jůrka	Ford Fiesta R5 Mk. II	11:05.9
	SS3	Kedong 1	32.68 km	Prokop / Jůrka	Ford Fiesta R5 Mk. II	19:40.1
	SS4	Oserian 1	18.87 km	Prokop / Jůrka	Ford Fiesta R5 Mk. II	14:12.2
	SS5	Chui Lodge 2	13.34 km	Prokop / Jůrka	Ford Fiesta R5 Mk. II	11:15.5
	SS6	Kedong 2	32.68 km	No stage winners		—N/a	No leaders
	SS7	Oserian 2	18.87 km	No stage winners		—N/a
26 June	SS8	Elmenteita 1	14.67 km	No stage winners		—N/a
	SS9	Soysambu 1	20.33 km	No stage winners		—N/a
	SS10	Sleeping Warrior 1	31.04 km	No stage winners		—N/a
	SS11	Elmenteita 2	14.67 km	No stage winners		—N/a
	SS12	Soysambu 2	20.33 km	No stage winners		—N/a
	SS13	Sleeping Warrior 2	31.04 km	No stage winners		—N/a
27 June	SS14	Loldia 1	11.33 km	No stage winners		—N/a
	SS15	Hell's Gate 1	10.56 km	No stage winners		—N/a
	SS16	Malewa	9.71 km	No stage winners		—N/a
	SS17	Loldia 2	11.33 km	No stage winners		—N/a
	SS18	Hell's Gate 2 [Power Stage]	10.56 km	No stage winners		—N/a

Championship standings

Pos.		Drivers' championships				Co-drivers' championships				Teams' championships
		Move	Driver	Points		Move	Co-driver	Points		Move	Manufacturer	Points
1			Andreas Mikkelsen	68			Ola Fløene	68			Toksport WRT	125
2			Mads Østberg	66			Torstein Eriksen	66			Movisport	125
3			Marco Bulacia Wilkinson	63			Marcelo Der Ohannesian	63			M-Sport Ford WRT	104
4			Esapekka Lappi	59			Janne Ferm	59			Hyundai Motorsport N	12
5			Teemu Suninen	41			Mikko Markkula	41

World Rally Championship-3

Classification

Position		No.	Driver	Co-driver	Entrant	Car	Time	Difference	Points
Event	Class								Class	Stage	Event
7	1	24	Onkar Rai	Drew Sturrock	Onkar Rai	Volkswagen Polo GTI R5	3:47:37.7	0.0	25	5	6
8	2	27	Karan Patel	Tauseef Khan	Karan Patel	Ford Fiesta R5	3:51:41.7	+4:04.0	18	2	4
9	3	25	Carl Tundo	Tim Jessop	Carl Tundo	Volkswagen Polo GTI R5	3:54:52.0	+7:14.3	15	3	2
17	4	29	Daniel Chwist	Kamil Heller	Daniel Chwist	Ford Fiesta R5 Mk. II	4:37:20.4	+49:42.7	12	4	0
22	5	28	Aakif Virani	Azhar Bhatti	Aakif Virani	Škoda Fabia R5	5:12:17.6	+1:24:39.9	10	1	0
Retired SS3		26	Tejveer Rai	Gareth Dawe	Tejveer Rai	Volkswagen Polo GTI R5	Rolled		0	0	0

Special stages

Day	Stage	Stage name	Length	Winners	Car	Time	Class leaders
23 June	—	Loldia [Shakedown]	2.89 km	Rai / Sturrock	Volkswagen Polo GTI R5	4:07.6	—N/a
24 June	SS1	Super Special Kasarani	4.84 km	Patel / Khan	Ford Fiesta R5	3:42.6	Patel / Khan
25 June	SS2	Chui Lodge 1	13.34 km	Rai / Sturrock	Volkswagen Polo GTI R5	11:01.1	Rai / Sturrock
	SS3	Kedong 1	32.68 km	Tundo / Jessop	Volkswagen Polo GTI R5	19:36.1
	SS4	Oserian 1	18.87 km	Rai / Sturrock	Volkswagen Polo GTI R5	14:41.9
	SS5	Chui Lodge 2	13.34 km	Rai / Sturrock	Volkswagen Polo GTI R5	11:39.0
	SS6	Kedong 2	32.68 km	Stage cancelled
	SS7	Oserian 2	18.87 km	Stage cancelled
26 June	SS8	Elmenteita 1	14.67 km	Tundo / Jessop	Volkswagen Polo GTI R5	9:42.4	Rai / Sturrock
	SS9	Soysambu 1	20.33 km	Rai / Sturrock	Volkswagen Polo GTI R5	15:51.6
	SS10	Sleeping Warrior 1	31.04 km	Rai / Sturrock	Volkswagen Polo GTI R5	20:10.3
	SS11	Elmenteita 2	14.67 km	Tundo / Jessop	Volkswagen Polo GTI R5	9:56.1
	SS12	Soysambu 2	20.33 km	Tundo / Jessop	Volkswagen Polo GTI R5	15:27.9
	SS13	Sleeping Warrior 2	31.04 km	Tundo / Jessop	Volkswagen Polo GTI R5	21:05.5
27 June	SS14	Loldia 1	11.33 km	Tundo / Jessop	Volkswagen Polo GTI R5	8:32.5
	SS15	Hell's Gate 1	10.56 km	Chwist / Heller	Ford Fiesta R5 Mk. II	3:50.2
	SS16	Malewa	9.71 km	Tundo / Jessop	Volkswagen Polo GTI R5	7:58.5
	SS17	Loldia 2	11.33 km	Tundo / Jessop	Volkswagen Polo GTI R5	8:27.6
	SS18	Hell's Gate 2 [Power Stage]	10.56 km	Rai / Sturrock	Volkswagen Polo GTI R5	7:10.7

Championship standings

Pos.		Drivers' championships				Co-drivers' championships
		Move	Driver	Points		Move	Co-driver	Points
1			Yohan Rossel	98			Alexandre Coria	70
2			Kajetan Kajetanowicz	64			Maciek Szczepaniak	64
3			Nicolas Ciamin	57			Yannick Roche	57
4			Onkar Rai	30			Drew Sturrock	30
5		1	Teemu Asunmaa	28		1	Benoît Fulcrand	28

External links

• Official website (in English)
• 2021 Safari Rally at eWRC-results.com
• The official website of the World Rally Championship