Sebastien Ogier, the winner of the 2021 Safari Rally, made a bold choice on Friday’s six stages by opting for just one spare wheel instead of two. This decision proved to be an inspired move as Ogier used his lighter GR Yaris to good effect, winning four of the six stages. He headed into Saturday’s stages with a 22.8s advantage over his teammate, Kalle Rovanpera.
Ogier made a calculated risk by deciding to only push on the smoother stages of the loop. He said, “At first people thought it was a risky choice, but in the end, it was a calculated one after seeing the conditions this morning of the first two stages of the loop were not that rough in terms of tyre risk.” He made a calculation that allowed him to drive even more cleanly and not be hard on the tyres, and he tried to stay away from punctures by only having one spare and being lighter.
Toyota Boss Impressed with Ogier’s Decision
Toyota boss Latvala was impressed with Ogier’s decision to take the risk. He issued a directive to his drivers to be patient ahead of Friday’s stages, given how easy it is to hit trouble on Kenya’s roads. Latvala said, “It was a clever call from him in one way because if you do it, you have to do things a bit differently because you have to be a bit more cautious when you have only one spare. You can’t attack the same way. But on the other hand, the car has less inertia so there is less going sideways, so it gives you more benefit. He was using that benefit of less inertia, and then when it was rough, he was taking it a bit easier.”
Ogier’s Saturday Strategy
It is highly unlikely that Ogier will opt for the same strategy on Saturday, which is tipped to provide the toughest conditions of the rally. He said, “It [Saturday] is the longest and trickiest day of the event, and 20 seconds is not that much given what we have to face tomorrow, but of course, it is better to be where we are. It will be about driving fast still but also managing some sections that are going to be extremely rough. Tomorrow going for one spare would be more of a gamble.”
Rovanpera in Prime Position
Ogier’s nearest rival, Kalle Rovanpera, ended the loop in second place, having started first on the road. With championship rival Thierry Neuville out of the rally, Rovanpera is in prime position to further extend his championship lead. Although he is firmly in the victory hunt, Rovanpera believes a controlled approach is his best form of attack for Saturday’s stages. He said, “Saturday seems the most tough day, and if the rain comes, it can be really interesting. There is a chance where we will go for it, but we need to play the long game on this rally like last year. It is best to try and stay out of trouble.”
Toyota ended Friday occupying the top three spots, with Elfyn Evans sitting third, 43.5s adrift. The fourth car driven by Takamoto Katsuta will start Saturday in fifth after a hectic Friday. Katsuta was forced to repair a damaged lower arm on the road in the morning, before a run-in with a zebra and a tree damaged his car in the afternoon.
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