The 2025 World Rally Championship’s third stop set off with the drivers racing though the shakedown at sleeping warrior in Naivasha this Wednesday, March 19 2025.

Kalle Rovanperä stormed to the fastest time in the preliminary event that has been dubbed the toughest terrain of all the rally stops.

The two-time world champion, riding a Toyota GR Yaris, braved the rough terrain in 4:35.05 time.

His feat came as 1.6 sec quicker than Thierry Neuville of Hyundai Hyundai i20 N Rally1, who recorded an improvement on his final pass to snatch second.

His Hyundai partner, Ott Tänak, also in a Hyundai, completed the top three, 1.9 sec off.

Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta finished fourth, 3.5 sec adrift of his teammate, while Adrien Fourmaux rounded out the top five.

Shakedown event

Shakedown ecompass a preliminary stage, where crews must run at least once before the start of each rally to enable each team and driver to refine their set-up and be sure that the cars are ready for the action which begins tomorrow.

The rally set to run from March 20- 23 in Nairobi and Naivasha counties now head to the ceremonial flag-off by President William Ruto at the KICC on Thursday, March 20 at 11:00 pm.

The flag-off will precede the two racing events set to wrap up Thursday’s action.

Kasarani next

The initial leg will be the super special stage (SS1), located in Nairobi, this dual-lane, head-to-head stage at Kasarani Stadium will see drivers run in reverse direction compared to previous years.

Two cars will race side by side on the compact, mixed-surface track, setting the tone for the rally in front of thousands of spectators.

The teams will then drive to the Naivasha service park. A 8.15 km stretch of Mzabibu in Naivasha will finish off Thursday’s event.

Mzabibu phase will see drivers’ technical agility tested by the winding farm roads.

The two-shakedown series at Camp Moran and an 8km race at Morendat Farm- are part of the enthralling fresh stages added to the Kenyan edition to enhance the thrill for fans and competitors.

Afrer a series an eventful four days , the rally will cumlimiate at Hell’s Gate National Park, maintaining last year’s picturesque finish line.

The 2025 WRC season began with the Rallye Monte-Carlo in Monaco (January 23-26 ) and the Rally Sweden (February 13-16 ), with Kenya ready to take centre stage as the third stop.

Drivers

Reigning world champion Thierry Neuville from Belgium, Ott Tänak of Estonian, the 2019 World Rally Champion, two-time WRC champion Kalle Rovanperä, and Elfvin Evansa from the Great Britain rank among the confirmed drivers set for the Kenyan stop.

The eight-time Safari winner Sébastien Ogier of France has not been included in the Kenyan calendar.

Apart from the uninterrupted coverage across the world, the WRC Safari Rally brings with it a financial edge of monetary value to the country. The event also attracts thousands of tourists to Kenya.