The 2023 WRC Safari Rally officially kicked off Wednesday morning in Naivasha, Kenya, for its 70th season. Kalle Rovanpera debuted his Safari Rally victo.
Ott Tänak finished third at Rally New Zealand Sunday, maintaining the position he had held going into the final day, but it was not enough to keep any slim title hopes alive for Hyundai after Finn Kalle Rovanperä won his maiden drivers' title for Toyota.
Estonia's Ott Tänak (Hyundai) leads Rally New Zealand after seven stages, 0.2 seconds ahead of Britain's Elfyn Evans (Toyota) in second place. France's Sebastien Ogier (Toyota) finished the day in third.
Ott Tänak was out of the rankings at the end of Safari Rally Kenya, having been as high as third place earlier in the event, following a steering issue on the 17th stage (of 19), which forced him and co-driver Martin Järveoja to drop out.
Ott Tänak lies in 10th place going into the final day of Safari Rally Kenya. Tänak had started the day in third place, but gearbox problems in the Hyundai i20 brought Saturday's stages to an early end.