Sébastien Ogier and Oliver Solberg have explained their retirements from first and second place of Safari Rally Kenya.
Nine-time world champion Ogier was one of the three provisional podium-dwelling Toyota drivers to retire on the Sleeping Warrior stage. Like erstwhile leader Solberg, Ogier’s GR Yaris Rally1 stopped on the road sectopn with an alternator issue after the car ingested mud in the morning’s final test.
Ogier said: “We got the alarm on the finish line of the Sleeping Warrior – alternator issue and then the road section was unfortunately a bit too long to reach the service park. We tried everything we could on the road section to fix it try to find a way to make this alternator running again, but unfortunately it didn’t, and yeah, we had to retire.
“It looks like some mud is coming in. I think I’ve been told that one of our cars actually managed to fix it. It also had an issue, but managed to somehow put clean water on it again and it started running again. We did that too, but unfortunately it didn’t solve our issue. I changed the belt, did everything I could do, but it wasn’t enough.”
Ogier did make it back to service, but on the back of a tow rope.
Asked how tough Saturday morning had been, he replied: “I think it’s the most extreme rally in Kenya we’ve done in recent years. We’ve mentioned the whole week that Saturday will be the big day and that would be a big, big test for the cars. And yeah, it’s proven so far. Our team has the reputation to have the strongest car, but yeah, surprisingly today, the three leading cars retired in one stage. So yeah, that proves how tough it is here.
“I guess [now] we’re going to have a team-mate fight for Super Sunday because I’m pretty sure the others won’t be really fighting for it. Well, let’s see the condition. Maybe again, if it’s a big road condition difference, maybe it’s someone else. But yeah, you can be pretty sure that the three guys retired now will have only that to fight for tomorrow.”
With Evans also retiring, all three of the leading Toyotas failed to make it through Saturday morning
And his plans for the afternoon?
“I don’t know. I will not watch the stages, but for sure I don’t care now. I don’t know. [I will] Talk a bit with my family to get the smile. They’re actually having a nice time in Nairobi – they already asked me if I should come to them.
“Fortunately and unfortunately, there is Super Sunday, so I need to stay for tomorrow.”
Solberg’s Toyota was halted with a transmission issue as well as an alternator problem.
“After the stage we lost drive in the car – long after the stage but middle of the road and no drive and I just had to stop unfortunately,” said Solberg. “Very sad when you’re trying to be careful and manage the race and been leading the whole way. That’s life.”
