The 2023 Safari Rally (also known as the Safari Rally Kenya 2023) was a motor racing event for rally cars that was held from 22 June to 25 June 2023. It marked the seventy-first running of the Safari Rally, and was the seventh round of the 2023 World Rally Championship, World Rally Championship-2 and World Rally Championship-3. The event was based in Naivasha in the Nakuru County, and was contested over nineteen special stages covering a total competitive distance of .
Kalle Rovanperä and Jonne Halttunen were the defending rally winners. Their team, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT, were the defending manufacturer's winners. Kajetan Kajetanowicz and Maciej Szczepaniak were the defending rally winners in the WRC-2 category. Maxine Wahome and Murage Waigwa were the defending rally winners in the WRC-3 category.
Sébastien Ogier and Vincent Landais won the rally. Their team, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT, successfully defended their manufacturer's title. Kajetanowicz and Szczepaniak successfully defended their victory in the World Rally Championship-2 category. Diego Dominguez Jr. and Rogelio Peñate won the World Rally Championship-3 category.
The Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT crew of Thierry Neuville and Martijn Wydaeghe was disqualified from the rally post-event for unauthorized reconnaissance of stages, stripping them both of their eighth place finish and of the victory in the Power Stage. The disqualification instead gave the Power Stage victory to Ott Tänak and Martin Järveoja of the M-Sport Ford team.
Background Entry list The following crews entered into the rally. The event was opened to crews competing in the World Rally Championship, its support categories, the World Rally Championship-2, World Rally Championship-3 and privateer entries that were not registered to score points in any championship. Ten entered under Rally1 regulations, as were eleven Rally2 crews in the World Rally Championship-2 and five Rally3 crew in the World Rally Championship-3.
+ No. Driver Co-Driver Entrant Car Championship eligibility Tyre 4 Esapekka Lappi Janne Ferm Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT Hyundai i20 N Rally1 Driver, Co-driver, Manufacturer 6 Dani Sordo Cándido Carrera Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT Hyundai i20 N Rally1 Driver, Co-driver, Manufacturer 7 Pierre-Louis Loubet Nicolas Gilsoul M-Sport Ford WRT Ford Puma Rally1 Driver, Co-driver, Manufacturer 8 Ott Tänak Martin Järveoja M-Sport Ford WRT Ford Puma Rally1 Driver, Co-driver, Manufacturer 9 Jourdan Serderidis Andy Malfoy M-Sport Ford WRT Ford Puma Rally1 Driver, Co-driver 11 Thierry Neuville Martijn Wydaeghe Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT Hyundai i20 N Rally1 Driver, Co-driver, Manufacturer 17 Sébastien Ogier Vincent Landais Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 Driver, Co-driver, Manufacturer 18 Takamoto Katsuta Aaron Johnston Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 Driver, Co-driver 33 Elfyn Evans Scott Martin Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 Driver, Co-driver, Manufacturer 69 Kalle Rovanperä Jonne Halttunen Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 Driver, Co-driver, Manufacturer
+ No. Driver Co-Driver Entrant Car Championship eligibility Tyre 21 Kajetan Kajetanowicz Maciej Szczepaniak Kajetan Kajetanowicz Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo Challenger Driver, Challenger Co-driver 22 Grégoire Munster Louis Louka M-Sport Ford WRT Ford Fiesta Rally2 Challenger Driver, Challenger Co-driver, Team 23 Martin Prokop Zdeněk Jůrka Martin Prokop Ford Fiesta Rally2 Challenger Driver, Challenger Co-driver 24 Armin Kremer Timo Gottschalk Armin Kremer Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo Challenger/Masters Driver, Challenger Co-driver 25 Karan Patel Tauseef Khan Karan Patel Ford Fiesta R5 Challenger Driver, Challenger Co-driver 26 Carl Tundo Tim Jessop Carl Tundo Škoda Fabia R5 Challenger Driver, Challenger Co-driver 27 Daniel Chwist Kamil Heller Daniel Chwist Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 Challenger Driver, Challenger Co-driver 28 Miguel Díaz-Aboitiz Rodrigo Sanjuan de Eusebio Miguel Díaz-Aboitiz Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo Challenger/Masters Driver, Challenger Co-driver 29 George Vassilakis Tom Krawszik M-Sport Ford WRT Ford Fiesta Rally2 Challenger/Masters Driver, Challenger Co-driver, Team 30 Aakif Virani Azhar Bhatti Aakif Virani Škoda Fabia R5 Challenger Driver, Challenger Co-driver 31 Piero Canobbio Flavio Zanella Piero Canobbio Hyundai i20 R5 Challenger/Masters Driver, Challenger/Masters Co-driver 32 Samman Singh Vohra Alfir Khan Samman Singh Vohra Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo Challenger Driver, Challenger Co-driver
+ No. Driver Co-Driver Entrant Car Tyre 34 Diego Dominguez Jr. Rogelio Peñate Diego Dominguez Jr. Ford Fiesta Rally3 35 Hamza Anwar Adnan Din Rally Stars Program Kenya Ford Fiesta Rally3 36 Jeremiah Wahome Victor Okundi Jeremiah Wahome Ford Fiesta Rally3 37 McRae Kimathi Mwangi Kioni McRae Kimathi Ford Fiesta Rally3 38 Jason Bailey Jamie Willetts Jason Bailey Ford Fiesta Rally3
+ No. Driver Co-Driver Entrant Car Tyre 20 Oliver Solberg Elliott Edmondson Oliver Solberg Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo
Itinerary All dates and times are EAT (UTC+3). Date No. Time span Stage name Distance 21 June — After 10:01 Loldia [Shakedown] 5.40 km 22 June SS1 After 14:05 Super Special Kasarani 4.84 km 23 June 7:00 – 7:15 Service A, KWS Naivasha SS2 After 8:00 Loldia 1 19.17 km SS3 After 9:18 Geothermal 1 13.12 km SS4 After 10:11 Kedong 1 30.48 km 11:14 – 11:44 Regroup, KWS Naivasha 11:44 – 12:24 Service B, KWS Naivasha SS5 After 13:09 Loldia 2 19.17 km SS6 After 14:27 Geothermal 2 13.12 km SS7 After 15:20 Kedong 2 30.48 km 16:33 – 17:18 Flexi Service C, KWS Naivasha 24 June SS8 After 8:01 Soysambu 1 19.17 km SS9 After 9:05 Elmenteita 1 15.08 km SS10 After 10:03 Sleeping Warrior 1 31.04 km 11:29 – 11:55 Regroup, KWS Naivasha 11:55 – 12:35 Service D, KWS Naivasha SS11 After 14:01 Soysambu 2 19.17 km SS12 After 15:05 Elmenteita 2 15.08 km SS13 After 16:03 Sleeping Warrior 2 31.04 km 17:39 – 18:24 Flexi Service E, KWS Naivasha 25 June SS14 After 6:55 Malewa 1 9.00 km SS15 After 7:51 Oserian 1 18.33 km SS16 After 9:05 Hell's Gate 1 10.53 km 10:12 – 10:22 Regroup, KWS Naivasha 10:22 – 10:37 Service F, KWS Naivasha SS17 After 11:12 Malewa 2 9.00 km SS18 After 12:08 Oserian 2 18.33 km 13:16 – 14:07 Regroup, KWS Naivasha SS19 After 14:15 Hell's Gate 2 [Power Stage] 10.53 km After 16:00 Podium ceremony, KWS Naivasha Source:
Report WRC Rally1 Classification Position Driver Co-driver Entrant Car Time Points Event Class Event Stage 1 1 17 Sébastien Ogier Vincent Landais Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 3:30:42.5 0.0 25 3 2 2 69 Kalle Rovanperä Jonne Halttunen Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 3:30:49.2 +6.7 18 4 3 3 33 Elfyn Evans Scott Martin Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 3:33:41.0 +2:58.5 15 1 4 4 18 Takamoto Katsuta Aaron Johnston Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 3:34:06.3 +3:23.8 12 0 5 5 6 Dani Sordo Cándido Carrera Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT Hyundai i20 N Rally1 3:35:47.9 +5:05.4 10 0 6 6 8 Ott Tänak Martin Järveoja M-Sport Ford WRT Ford Puma Rally1 3:39:56.9 +9:14.4 8 5 7 7 7 Pierre-Louis Loubet Nicolas Gilsoul M-Sport Ford WRT Ford Puma Rally1 3:46:58.2 +16:15.7 6 0 12 8 4 Esapekka Lappi Janne Ferm Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT Hyundai i20 N Rally1 4:12:57.4 +42:14.9 0 2 Retired SS12 9 Jourdan Serderidis Andy Malfoy M-Sport Ford WRT Ford Puma Rally1 Engine 0 0 Disqualified 11 Thierry Neuville Martijn Wydaeghe Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT Hyundai i20 N Rally1 Reconnaissance breach 0 0
Special stages Stage Winners Car Time Class leaders SD Rovanperä / Halttunen Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 3:32.4 SS1 Tänak / Järveoja Ford Puma Rally1 3:14.3 Tänak / Järveoja SS2 Ogier / Landais Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 13:50.3 Ogier / Landais SS3 Lappi / Ferm Hyundai i20 N Rally1 6:49.7 SS4 Rovanperä / Halttunen Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 14:52.4 SS5 Ogier / Landais Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 13:50.2 SS6 Ogier / Landais Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 6:46.5 SS7 Ogier / Landais Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 15:04.6 SS8 Ogier / Landais Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 17:30.0 SS9 Rovanperä / Halttunen Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 8:25.2 SS10 Rovanperä / Halttunen Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 17:57.7 SS11 Ogier / Landais Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 17:23.4 SS12 Katsuta / Johnston Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 8:20.6 SS13 Rovanperä / Halttunen Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 19:07.7 SS14 Rovanperä / Halttunen Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 6:05.1 SS15 Ogier / Landais Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 11:15.9 SS16 Tänak / Järveoja Ford Puma Rally1 5:29.7 SS17 Rovanperä / Halttunen Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 6:02.6 SS18 Katsuta / Johnston Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 11:53.6 SS19 Tänak / Järveoja Ford Puma Rally1 5:35.0
Championship standings Drivers' championships Co-drivers' championships Manufacturers' championshipsMoveDriverPointsMoveCo-driverPointsMoveManufacturerPoints 1 Kalle Rovanperä 140 Jonne Halttunen 140 Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT 285 2 2 Elfyn Evans 99 2 Scott Martin 99 Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT 237 3 2 Sébastien Ogier 98 2 Vincent Landais 98 M-Sport Ford WRT 175 4 1 Ott Tänak 98 1 Martin Järveoja 98 5 3 Thierry Neuville 93 3 Martijn Wydaeghe 93
WRC-2 Rally2 Classification Position Driver Co-driver Entrant Car Time Points Event Class Class Stage Event 8 1 21 Kajetan Kajetanowicz Maciej Szczepaniak Kajetan Kajetanowicz Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo 3:57:15.9 0.0 25 3 4 10 2 23 Martin Prokop Zdeněk Jůrka Martin Prokop Ford Fiesta Rally2 4:08:43.6 +11:27.7 18 2 1 11 3 26 Carl Tundo Tim Jessop Carl Tundo Škoda Fabia R5 4:11:38.6 +14:22.7 15 0 0 13 4 24 Armin Kremer Timo Gottschalk Armin Kremer Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo 4:14:40.8 +17:24.9 12 1 0 15 5 27 Daniel Chwist Kamil Heller Daniel Chwist Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 4:52:52.1 +55:36.2 10 0 0 16 6 32 Samman Singh Vohra Alfir Khan Samman Singh Vohra Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo 5:23:48.3 +1:26:32.4 8 0 0 Retired SS19 30 Aakif Virani Azhar Bhatti Aakif Virani Škoda Fabia R5 Withdrawn 0 0 0 Retired SS17 22 Grégoire Munster Louis Louka M-Sport Ford WRT Ford Fiesta Rally2 Fire 0 0 0 Retired SS17 25 Karan Patel Tauseef Khan Karan Patel Ford Fiesta R5 Withdrawn 0 0 0 Retired SS13 29 George Vassilakis Tom Krawszik M-Sport Ford WRT Ford Fiesta Rally2 Accident 0 0 0 Retired SS10 28 Miguel Díaz-Aboitiz Rodrigo Sanjuan de Eusebio Miguel Díaz-Aboitiz Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo Withdrawn 0 0 0 Did not start 31 Piero Canobbio Flavio Zanella Piero Canobbio Hyundai i20 R5 Withdrawn 0 0 0
Special stages
+ Stage Winners Car Time Class leaders SD Kajetanowicz / Szczepaniak Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo 3:57.3 SS1 Kajetanowicz / Szczepaniak Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo 3:27.2 Kajetanowicz / Szczepaniak SS2 Kajetanowicz / Szczepaniak Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo 15:08.3 SS3 Kajetanowicz / Szczepaniak Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo 7:35.0 SS4 Munster / Louka Ford Fiesta Rally2 17:16.3 Munster / Louka SS5 Munster / Louka Ford Fiesta Rally2 15:04.4 SS6 Kajetanowicz / Szczepaniak Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo 7:29.0 SS7 Munster / Louka Ford Fiesta Rally2 17:12.2 SS8 Kajetanowicz / Szczepaniak Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo 19:48.5 SS9 Kajetanowicz / Szczepaniak Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo 9:21.1 SS10 Kajetanowicz / Szczepaniak Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo 19:40.7 Kajetanowicz / Szczepaniak SS11 Munster / Louka Ford Fiesta Rally2 18:56.0 Munster / Louka SS12 Kajetanowicz / Szczepaniak Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo 9:07.1 Kajetanowicz / Szczepaniak SS13 Kajetanowicz / Szczepaniak Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo 22:42.8 SS14 Munster / Louka Ford Fiesta Rally2 6:46.4 SS15 Munster / Louka Ford Fiesta Rally2 12:45.6 SS16 Kajetanowicz / Szczepaniak Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo 6:02.9 SS17 Chwist / Heller Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 6:39.1 SS18 Kajetanowicz / Szczepaniak Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo 13:25.0 SS19 Kajetanowicz / Szczepaniak Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo 6:14.6