Has Safari Rally Kenya lived up to its billing?

Yes. The Safari is living up to its name. Case closed, what’s next?

Ending there wouldn’t create a very interesting read would it? But take the point: there can be no denying that Safari Rally Kenya has absolutely maintained its fearsome reputation despite its 19-year absence from the World Rally Championship.

There were pre-event arguments that the 2021 iteration wasn’t a ‘real’ Safari because its competitive distance was far, far shorter than it ever used to be. But those (slightly short-sighted) arguments hold no water after Friday, as none of the Safari’s epic sense of adventure has been lost.

The terrain is unique, treacherous and visually spectacular and the wildlife has added an extra bit of wonderful flavor – just like it always used to. And the passion from the locals is incredible too; it’s impossible to not feel warmed by the sight of young children screaming and waving as rally cars pass them on the transit sections. You don’t really get that anywhere else. Clearly Africa has not fallen out of love with the WRC.

This rally is of course about far more than adventure though – as much as we love all of the above and the sight of giraffes casually standing at the sides of stages. It’s always been about survival. But suffice to say, that very much still holds true in 2021, even if the rally isn’t longer than one you’d find in Europe.

Eleven World Rally Cars started Friday and only six reached end-of-day service. Elfyn Evans smacked a rock, Dani Sordo’s suspension broke, Oliver Solberg’s clouted a bank and heavily damaged his car, Lorenzo Bertelli’s engine overcooked and Kalle Rovanperä was swallowed by the notorious fesh-fesh.

Only one of the remaining six cars has got through the day without some kind of mechanical problem or puncture. Simply making it to the end today has been an achievement. Just as a Safari should be.

As Gus Greensmith joked when he was asked if he could do with a cup of tea and a shower: “It’d be a very strong drink after the day.”

Sébastien Ogier outlined the challenge the crews were facing earlier on Friday morning.

“I think it’s not a big surprise honestly to see a lot of trouble,” he said. “But I didn’t imagine them so early on, because it was already tough conditions this morning.

“We expected low grip but maybe not that low. It feels like floating on sand, surfing on sand. And that’s one part. But then comes the rougher sections where it’s completely broke out and some rocks are coming.

“Obviously I have no idea where I lost my [oil] canister [on the damper], no real impact for me this morning, so that’s a bit worrying for the rest of the weekend. But I’m happy that I was able to nurse the car and I will do my best to survive these probably very rough conditions.”

That first morning claimed Evans, Sordo, Solberg and Bertelli while Rovanperä bowed out on the day’s final test; a loop that Ogier confessed “was even more extreme” in terms of conditions.

Fellow world champion Ott Tänak took a similar view.

“I would say I’ve been doing max 60% and even [in] some places it’s too much so it’s demanding,” he said.

“We are quite happy we are here,” he added, lying third overall after surviving a final stage puncture.

“These two stages actually like the first one [SS2/5] and the last one [SS4/7] were not so cool as [they were] more Sardinia-spec, very soft.

“But actually the middle stage [SS3/6] in the fields was actually quite cool and really looked like Safari and was cool to drive.”

The bad news for Tänak is it’s only expected to get worse tomorrow. He himself knows it.

“I mean we are only at the appetiser at the moment, I guess tomorrow the actual meal is coming,” he said.

“So it’s definitely getting much more demanding and today even these 50 seconds, it’s nothing. Whoever’s two minutes behind can still win it, as you can see today so much is happening.

“These seconds here or there doesn’t mean anything.”

And that there, in a nutshell, is why this rally has not only been captivating thus far but also has maintained its true, historical spirit. Increasingly rallies are becoming more like sprints where every tenth of a second matters, but on the Safari that’s very much not the case. It’s the thinking man that will propser after all 18 stages.

“There’s no easy stage in there,” added Ogier. “It’s been a tough day, but it’s still very long and we can expect many more dramas.”

If this is the quality of the appetiser, we can’t wait to see tomorrow’s meal…