WRC, Sportrik Media - Toyota Gazoo Racing heads into Safari Rally Kenya 2026 aiming to extend its dominance in the World Rally Championship while strengthening its position in the title battle. The Japanese manufacturer has enjoyed a strong start to the season but knows the African event could prove decisive for the remainder of the campaign.
Toyota has dominated the opening rounds of the 2026 WRC season, filling all podium places across the first two rallies. Elfyn Evans has secured two podium finishes, while team-mates Oliver Solberg, Sébastien Ogier, Takamoto Katsuta, and Sami Pajari have each contributed podium results for the team.
Despite that performance, Toyota technical director Tom Fowler explained that the team’s points tally is slightly lower than at the same stage last season due to the WRC manufacturers’ scoring system.
“In terms of points, it’s actually worse than last year,” Fowler said.
“At this stage last year we had 120 points, and now we have 117.”
The reason lies in the championship format, where teams nominate three cars but only the best two results count toward the manufacturers’ championship. Toyota often runs five cars in rallies, meaning the team invests resources across a larger entry without receiving additional points.
“We put the effort of five cars into the rally, but in the end we only get the points of two cars counted for the championship,” Fowler explained.
Safari Rally Kenya represents the next challenge in the WRC calendar and remains one of the most demanding events in world rallying. Toyota holds the record for the most Safari victories with 12 wins, significantly ahead of Mitsubishi, which has recorded five.
Since the event returned to the WRC calendar five years ago, Toyota has remained unbeaten in Kenya. A victory in 2026 would mark a sixth consecutive Safari win for the manufacturer and complete a clean sweep of victories in the Rally1 era.
However, Fowler acknowledged that success in Kenya is never guaranteed, even for the dominant team of recent seasons.
“The statistics are against us,” he admitted.
“Safari is the type of rally where you can prepare and prepare, but you still need an element of luck and the right judgement from the drivers and the team.”
Although Toyota secured victory in the 2025 Safari Rally through Evans, rival Hyundai placed two cars on the podium with Ott Tänak finishing second and Thierry Neuville third.
According to Fowler, the difficulty and unpredictability of the Kenyan event give the rally a unique significance compared to other rounds on the calendar.
“Safari is a bit like climbing a mountain,” Fowler said.
“The climb itself is very tough, but when you reach the top the reward is enormous.”
Beyond the prestige of victory, the outcome in Kenya could also play a key strategic role in the championship. The 2026 WRC schedule features a series of asphalt rallies following Safari, making championship positions and road order increasingly important.
With three of the next four events after Kenya taking place on tarmac, Toyota is keen to secure strong results to ensure its drivers benefit from favourable road positions as the championship progresses.
Safari Rally Kenya 2026 therefore represents more than another opportunity for Toyota to extend its winning streak. It could prove a pivotal moment in shaping the trajectory of the WRC title fight this season.
Baca Juga
Panduan cara menonton Safari Rally Kenya 2026 secara live di Indonesia melalui Rally.TV, beIN Sports, Vidio, dan highlight gratis Red Bull TV.
Analisis mengapa Safari Rally Kenya menjadi reli paling brutal di WRC, dari lintasan ekstrem hingga strategi ban dan ketahanan mobil Rally1.
Lima fakta penting Safari Rally Kenya 2026, dari medan paling brutal di WRC hingga pasir fesh-fesh dan sejarah panjang reli legendaris Afrika.
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