Sébastien Ogier returns to the Safari Rally: "It looks like a bigger challenge."

After nearly two months of absence since the Rally Monte Carlo, Sébastien Ogier finds the World Rally Championship (WRC) in Kenya, as part of a still partial program with ToyotaThird in Monaco at the season opener, just over two minutes behind Oliver Solberg, the Frenchman reminded everyone that he remains one of the most competitive drivers on the grid, despite a reduced commitment and starting as the opening driver at Monte Carlo. Since 2022, and the start of his partial seasons, he has won at least one rally per year and even secured his ninth world title in 2025 by competing in only eleven of the fourteen rounds, proving that he can aim very high without following the entire calendar.

This return to the Safari Rally Kenya also comes at a very favorable time for Toyota. The Japanese manufacturer is dominating the start of the season, with all-Toyota podium finishes at Monte Carlo and in Sweden, and a strong driver lineup demonstrated by the results of Takamoto Katsuta and Oliver Solberg. In this context, Ogier's arrival in Kenya further strengthens the team's lineup, on terrain where the Frenchman already has a convincing track record: since the Kenyan event's return in 2021, he has two victories (2021 and 2023) and a fourth-place finish (2022), after skipping the 2024 and 2025 editions.

Unprecedented conditions for current pilots

However, the 2026 edition looks more uncertain than ever. From the shakedown, the Toyota driver noted unusually difficult conditions for Kenya, marked by heavy rain. "It looks like a bigger challenge [than in previous years], from what I've seen. I've been here three times already and I've never seen so much water; there's been a lot of rain so far, the rainy season started a little earlier than expected." Conditions he had not experienced, because before 2024, the event always took place during the 6th or 7th round: “When I used to come here, it was later, so we always had our ‘afternoon shower,’ but not this intense rain like now.”

"Yes, it's been difficult on the road, because now some parts are much rougher, some parts are filled with water, so it's going to be a challenge to get the car back to the finish line without any problems." In this context, rally management could clearly take precedence over pure performance. When asked about the biggest challenge of the weekend, Ogier acknowledged the difficulty of isolating a single factor: "I have no idea, but it's a lot of things. As I said, if we manage to have a problem-free rally, we're already guaranteed a good result here, so I think that's the main factor."

He emphasizes the numerous pitfalls specific to Kenya: "Punctures are obviously very tricky because the tires are very inflated, but as I mentioned, there are certain sections that will be very difficult to get through, difficult for the cars, and you can't see anything when you go through them with all the mud that gets on the windshield." In those moments, the crews no longer have complete control over their destiny: "We are very often like passengers, because we bounce around from all directions and we can only hope that everything goes well."

A good start to the weekend for the Frenchman

The first day of the Safari Rally immediately confirmed this analysis. Between heavy rain and waterlogged tracks, the first two stages created significant gaps in the overall standings. Oliver Solberg made a strong start, delivering an impressive first stage in extremely difficult conditions. Behind him, Toyota quickly established its pace, with five cars occupying the top five positions in the provisional standings.

For Sébastien Ogier, the day unfolded in two distinct phases. The first stage, run in heavy rain, severely penalized the crews who started later on the road. The Frenchman lost a good minute in conditions that became increasingly treacherous with each run. “Obviously we would have hoped to be a little closer. With this rain, I think we can still be happy to be only one minute behind the leader, because the guys who started around us, or just in front of us, lost a minute more than we did. So it seems we did a good job to survive these very critical conditions.”

"We can't let ourselves get too frustrated."

Despite this initial setback, the French driver rallied in the second stage of the day. Setting the fastest time, he climbed back up to third place overall, thus limiting the damage in a very unstable environment. “I’m glad to be here, it was already a tough challenge as expected, plus the rain in the first stage certainly complicated things. It couldn’t have come at a worse time, as things are getting really difficult for us and worse with each car.”

For him, the most important thing was above all to stay in the race in conditions where the gaps can quickly widen: "It's a shame, we started with a big one-minute penalty, but we'll keep fighting. It's going to be a long weekend, very tough, very difficult, so I'm sure a lot more will happen." Faced with unpredictable weather, mental management also becomes a key element for the crews. Sébastien Ogier readily acknowledges this: “No, we can’t let ourselves get too frustrated. We know that, yes, we’re going to lose seconds, maybe even minutes, and of course it’s difficult to start a rally like this. But in the end, the only thing we can do is not give up and try to make the best of the situation.”

The Frenchman points out that this type of scenario is part of the unpredictable nature of the championship and is nothing new for him: "In Monte Carlo, I faced the same thing in the first stage with the snow — well, in the second stage. So that makes two rallies that haven't really started in our favor, but that's part of the game and we can't control the weather."

"A lot can still happen."

The rest of the weekend could still hold many twists and turns. The nine-time world champion is well aware of this: "We knew when we arrived that it would be a very challenging weekend. We expect there will be big gaps between now and the end of the weekend. A lot can still happen." Even before setting off, he already knew that this Safari would be particularly demanding, given what he had seen at the shakedown: sections already very damaged or filled with water, increased mechanical risks, need to take care of the car as much as possible.

Beyond strategy and performance, the Frenchman remains very attached to the unique atmosphere of the event. "Yes, honestly, that's the best thing about coming here to Kenya, seeing the people, seeing their passion for rallying, but also this magnificent nature." For him, the experience goes far beyond the purely sporting dimension: “Coming back to Africa is always nice, and for the rally itself, it’s best not to have too many expectations for this kind of rally. You never really know what can happen, so we’ll do our best, but I think nobody can predict what will happen here.”

Between extreme conditions, unpredictable terrain, unstable weather, and fierce internal competition within Toyota, the Safari Rally remains one of the most unique challenges on the calendar. For Sébastien Ogier, this return to Kenya represents both an opportunity to shine once again in an event he knows well and a reminder that, on African tracks, experience, strategy, and the ability to withstand unforeseen circumstances can often make all the difference.

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