Takamoto Katsuta surged into the overall lead of the Safari Rally Kenya on Saturday after dramatic developments reshaped the leaderboard ahead of the rally’s final day.
The World Rally Championship event saw major setbacks for several top contenders during the first pass through the Sleeping Warrior stage. Three of Katsuta’s teammates from Toyota Gazoo Racing Oliver Solberg, Sébastien Ogier and Elfyn Evans, all encountered trouble and were forced to retire for the day either on the stage or on the road section afterwards.
The second run of the Sleeping Warrior stage was later cancelled on Saturday afternoon, further reshaping the competition.
Following the shake-up, Adrien Fourmaux moved into second place overall after his Hyundai teammate Thierry Neuville retired during the second pass of the Soysambu stage. Meanwhile, Sami Pajari climbed to third place in the standings.
Katsuta now heads into Sunday’s final leg with a strong opportunity to secure his maiden WRC victory. With only four stages remaining, the Japanese driver is on the brink of making history if he can maintain his pace and avoid the mechanical and navigational challenges that have already eliminated several leading contenders in the demanding Kenyan rally.