It was an extremely tough and highly emotional maiden victory. Tears flowed at the finish as Takamoto Katsuta, alongside Aaron Johnston, could hardly believe he had secured his first win in the WRC — and at what is widely regarded as the toughest event on the world championship calendar.
Katsuta made history by surviving the countless difficulties that prevented all the favourites from fighting for the top positions. Reigning world champion Sébastien Ogier, championship leader Elfyn Evans, and rising star Oliver Solberg all suffered damage to their Toyotas, losing any chance of victory. Katsuta, however, delivered a measured and intelligent drive, overcoming both the demanding terrain and the harsh weather conditions to secure a win that will be impossible to forget.
Toyota once again came out on top in the third round of the 2026 FIA World Rally Championship, despite the setbacks suffered by Ogier, Evans and Solberg, who could not withstand the extreme demands of a particularly punishing rally. Sami Pajari managed to finish third, while Hyundai claimed second place with Adrien Fourmaux and fourth with Esapekka Lappi.
Thierry Neuville finished only 12th, behind Solberg and Ogier but ahead of Evans — all of them placed behind the leading WRC2 cars, clearly illustrating the attrition caused by the brutal conditions of this year’s Safari Rally.
In the WRC2 category, the pace at the front proved surprising, with Estonian Robert Virves taking victory in a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, ahead of Gus Greensmith in a Toyota and the Škodas of Fabrizio Zaldivar and Andreas Mikkelsen.
In the championship standings, the additional points from Super Sunday and the Power Stage also played a role, with Oliver Solberg consistently the fastest, ahead of Sébastien Ogier and Elfyn Evans.
Takamoto Katsuta secured a remarkable result, taking his first WRC victory without winning a single special stage.
Elfyn Evans remains at the top of the World Rally Championship standings with 66 points, followed by Oliver Solberg with 58 and Katsuta with 55. The best-placed Hyundai driver is Adrien Fourmaux in fourth with 47 points, while Toyota continues to dominate the manufacturers’ championship with 157 points against Hyundai’s 114.
The next round of the 2026 WRC season will be the Rally Croatia, scheduled to take place from 9 to 12 April.