Solberg maintains narrow lead over Ogier at Safari Rally Kenya

Oliver Solberg concludes Friday’s action at the Safari Rally Kenya with a slim one-second lead over Sébastien Ogier. While Solberg began the day with a comfortable margin, a rear-right puncture on SS8 cost him significant time, allowing the nine-time world champion to close the gap as conditions worsened across the drying afternoon stages.

Toyota Gazoo Racing currently occupies the top three positions, with Elfyn Evans sitting in third place. Despite facing balance issues throughout the day, Evans remains within striking distance of the leaders. Behind them, Sami Pajari delivered a standout drive, climbing to fourth overall after a series of stage wins, even after receiving a time penalty for a late check-out.

Mid-field competition remains intense, with Hyundai drivers Thierry Neuville and Adrien Fourmaux holding fifth and sixth respectively, followed by Takamoto Katsuta, who dropped down the order due to a double-front puncture. The demanding Kenyan terrain also impacted the wider field, forcing Esapekka Lappi to navigate wildlife on the road and causing terminal damage to Josh McErlean’s M-Sport entry.

In the WRC2 category, Robert Virves has overtaken Gus Greensmith to establish a 14.5-second lead. As the rally progresses into Saturday, crews face the difficult task of managing deep ruts and sharp, exposed rocks that have already defined this year's event.