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Toyota Gazoo Racing team principal Jari-Matti Latvala views this month’s Safari Rally Kenya as an opportunity for his squad to reclaim its winning momentum.

The Jyväskylä-based team has faced setbacks in the first two rounds of this year’s FIA World Rally Championship, conceding victory to rival Hyundai Motorsport.

Safari Rally

Eager to reverse this trend and prevent Hyundai from securing a start-of-the-season hat-trick, Latvala sees the Safari Rally as an ideal chance for Toyota to shine.

Recent history favors Toyota, as the Yaris has remained unbeaten since the African classic rejoined the series in 2021.

Despite the Yaris’s impressive performance on the rugged terrain, Latvala maintains a humble outlook. He acknowledges the challenges posed by the event’s timing, now scheduled during the rainy season, which adds a significant layer of complexity.

Latvala emphasizes Toyota’s strength in reliability, a crucial factor for success in Kenya’s demanding conditions.

“I’m really looking forward to Kenya. Of course, now the timing is different, the date has come forwards and it’s going to be run in the rainy season – this is going to be quite a big challenge. But I think the reliability has been one of our strengths, which is, of course, good going to Kenya,” Latvala told WRC.

Safari Rally patience

“We need to be really patient over there because the first two events for the season haven’t been going the way we hoped. So it’s a rally where I think we really want to bounce back,” he added.

Reigning world champion and former Safari Rally winner Kalle Rovanperä continues to spearhead the team, joined by regulars Elfyn Evans and Takamoto Katsuta for the Naivasha event from March 28 to 31.