Toyota looking for fifth consecutive WRC Kenya win in 100th rally
19th March 2025Toyota Gazoo Racing aims to secure its fifth consecutive victory at the World Rally Championship’s Safari Rally Kenya as it embarks on its 100th rally.
Feature image credit: Jaanus Ree / Red Bull Content Pool
The defending world champions enter Africa in decent form having secured maximum points in the opening two rounds of the 2025 championship, in Monte Carlo and Sweden, leaving Elfyn Evans to lead the championship.
This weekend is also a big weekend for the World Rally team as they will embark on their 100th rally in the WRC, following their debut in 2017.
During their championship tenure, they have secured five world championships, 52 rally wins, and 122 podiums. Toyota has also produced world champions with Ott Tanak (2019) and Kalle Rovnapera (2022-2023), whilst Sebastien Ogier collected two championship wins with the team in 2020 and 2021.
Despite the team’s milestone moment, Kenya has proven to be one of the most gruelling rallies on the calendar. This weekend, its total length will increase to 384.86km, making it more difficult.
Ahead of the event, Toyota GR Team Principal, Jari-Matti Latvala said:
“The Safari Rally is always a special event for our team, and this year’s edition has extra significance as our 100th WRC rally since we started in 2017.
“Of course, we hope we can mark this milestone with another great result, but we know that this rally is never predictable. The route is even longer now, and at this time of year there’s a strong chance of rain, which can make the stages extremely slippery.”
Kenya will also mark the first gravel event of the 2025 calendar, after two rounds; one on asphalt/ice and the other on snow.
As Hankook continues to bed in as the sole tyre supplier, having taken over from Pirelli, the teams will be looking to learn about the tyres again this weekend. The tyre supplier will provide their Dynapro tyres which is optimised for gravel, rocky paths and off-road conditions.
This weekend, senior team personnel will also change, as Juha Kankkunen will take over Latvala and lead the team as Toyota’s Deputy Team Principal.
“This will also be the first gravel rally with this year’s revised technical rules and the new Hankook tyres, so there will again be some adapting for everyone to do, especially as it’s not possible to test outside of Europe,” Latvala continued.
“Elfyn, Kalle and Takamoto have all been strong in Kenya before, while Sami’s first Safari will be all about learning.
“They can all count on the knowledge of Juha Kankkunen, who will be taking over my duties on the ground for the first time. With his experience on this event, I know that the team is in very good hands and I will be following our progress closely.”
Read more WRC here:
- Who is driving at WRC Safari Rally Kenya 2025?
- Evans ‘caught napping’ by Katsuta before Rally Sweden win
- Elfyn Evans holds off Takamoto Katsuta to win 2025 WRC Sweden
- Evans on cusp of Rally Sweden win with Katsuta just behind
- Evans leads penultimate day of WRC Rally Sweden 2025
- Evans regains lead of WRC Rally Sweden in second day
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Hi, I’m Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion.
I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I’ve loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.
Kamron Kent
Hi, I'm Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion. I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I've loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.
