By KPC Reporter
Japan’s Takamoto Katsuta secured a historic first victory at the 2026 Safari Rally Kenya as the iconic motorsport event concluded Sunday in Naivasha.
His win drew the curtain on four days of dramatic competition across the Great Rift Valley.
Driving for Toyota Gazoo Racing alongside co-driver Aaron Johnston, Katsuta overcame the notoriously punishing terrain to clinch the victory, marking the biggest win of his World Rally Championship career.
The breakthrough came after several frontrunners encountered trouble during the demanding Sleeping Warrior stage on Saturday.
Drivers including SĂ©bastien Ogier, Elfyn Evans and Oliver Solberg all ran into difficulties on the punishing sections of the course.
Katsuta had adopted a cautious “survival-first” strategy as conditions eliminated rivals around him, eventually nursing his GR Yaris Rally1 through Sunday’s final stages to win by 27.4 seconds.
The rally, the third round of the 2026 FIA World Rally Championship, drew massive crowds to spectator zones stretching from Naivasha to Lake Elementaita as fans gathered on hilltops, plains and river crossings to witness the action.
President William Ruto attended the closing ceremony and reaffirmed the country’s commitment to keeping the historic event on the global motorsport calendar.
“The Safari Rally is part of Kenya’s sporting heritage and a global showcase for our country,” Ruto said.
He added that the participation of fans from across the East African Community had transformed the rally into a regional celebration of sport and culture.
Rally veteran Carl Tundo, now Head of Secretariat for the event, praised the turnout and enthusiasm from fans across the region.
“What we have witnessed this week — the crowds, the passion, the atmosphere — shows just how much this rally means to Kenya and to the entire East African region,” Tundo said.