NAIVASHA, Kenya, March 22 (Xinhua) -- The unpredictable nature of the Safari Rally has done it again as Day 3 of the third round of the World Rally Championship (WRC) concluded in Naivasha on Saturday.
As others faded, championship leader Elfyn Evans of Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT closed in on a maiden Safari Rally victory by winning two of the six stages of the day, Sleeping Warrior 1 and Elementaita 1, to hold on to his lead with a cumulative time of 3:38:39.3.
This is almost two minutes (1:57.4) ahead of his closest challenger and Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT rival, Ott Tanak, who moved up to second on the grid after a solid day.
The Estonian, who blew the lead on Friday, won the final stage of the day, Soysambu 2, to also remain in the hunt for his first Safari Rally title.
World champion Thierry Neuville brought his Hyundai home for third, over four minutes behind the leader despite suffering the after effects of food poisoning on Friday that kept him up all night.
Toyota's Finnish star Kalle Rovanpera, the double world champion and two-time Safari winner, had an afternoon to forget when he suffered two punctures and broke the rear of his GR Yaris Rally 1 machine in the afternoon loop.
"It's really not going our way. One more stage to survive before we get back to service," Rovanpera said.
The mishaps saw his chances of claiming a third Safari Rally title hanging by a thread after dropping from second overall to fifth, 6:06.0 minutes behind the overnight leader.
Teammate and Japan ace Takamoto Katsuta is on course to attack for another podium finish.
Ill from food poisoning on Friday, the popular driver stormed to two stage wins, Soysambu 1 and Sleeping Warrior 2, to roar to contention but mechanical trouble slowed his progress up the leaderboard as he ended the day in fourth.
Toyota's Finnish Safari Rally debutante, Sami Pajari rounds off the top six ahead of Ford M-Sport Puma WRT driver Gregoire Munster.
Britain's Gus Greensmith and his Skoda Fabia RS retained his WRC2 lead in eighth overall, ahead of charging Spanish Jan Solans who is just a place behind him on the leaderboard in ninth.
Carl Tundo is still the top placed Kenyan in 15th overall.
The Safari Rally concludes on Sunday with four competitive stages and the Wolf Power Stage in Naivasha. ■
