[WRC] Safari Rally Kenya 2026

[djip]

If they could just raise the cars, strenghten the suspension, put extra spare wheels in or on the cars and make something to protect the engine bay from mud, this could be a suitable rally. or just let them use tyre mousse again.

An additional spare wheel (on the roof as it used to be ?) would be an easy fix to the puncture drama ... In a rally as the safari I don't think the disrupted aerodynamics woiuld matter much ...

[Fast Eddie WRC]

The Toyota alternator failures were very unusual...

“I don’t know why it happened and we will sort it out later because everything was covered and sealed, all the work was done, but still it can happen,” said Kankkunen.

“It will be the same to Sami's car and Taka’s car, same normal service. Of course we will change the alternator for tomorrow in case, but normally you can drive the same alternator all year and nothing happens, but we will do it anyway.”

[Fast Eddie WRC]

Cool footage from DF of the crews working keepng the cars going...

https://youtu.be/li_YjSC2GbA?si=L_roDXa0mh18VhNO

[Steve Boyd]

make something to protect the engine bay from mud

So on this rally there are cars stopping because the mud is getting in. On the last rally we had cars stopping because the snow was getting in. I think that tells me it isn't the mud or the snow that's the problem - it's the design of the cars!

[Tanelv]

Would have been interesting to see how fully electric rally cars compete against the oldschool ones in these conditions. In theory EV-s should be more bulletproof in water and mud as there are less moving parts and they can be more easily sealed.

[TypeR]

Probably they would have sunk in the mud with their weight and drained battery.. after full throttle in the mud pits..

Overheated battery also?

[jonkka]

Overheated battery also?

Overheated, why?

[SubaruNorway]

Overheated, why?

Many things can cause that, like if the AC compressor goes, that cools the battery even during charging when it gets hot.
An EV battery shouldn't run much over 70c. Thermal runaway can start at 100c like it did with the Lancia RX car during charging

[jonkka]

But how does driving on mud differ from driving flat out on a straight? On both occasions all available power is drawn out from the battery which is designed from such point of view, as opposed to civilian EV which is designed for slow driving in mind and overtaxing battery is real possibility.

Things you listed are failures which can occur at any time, not related to mud at all. And overheating related to charging is related only to charging, not driving on mud.

[TypeR]

But how does driving on mud differ from driving flat out on a straight? On both occasions all available power is drawn out from the battery which is designed from such point of view, as opposed to civilian EV which is designed for slow driving in mind and overtaxing battery is real possibility.

Things you listed are failures which can occur at any time, not related to mud at all. And overheating related to charging is related only to charging, not driving on mud.

Flat out in Finland vs flat out drilling yoir way thru in mud.. I would say one is way harder for engine etc.. fuel consuption/battery consuption is also higher with worse terrain..
If even birdshit on roof decreases the range on EV then deep mud does it times more..

But okay, thankfully we don't have kitchen appliances in rally (yet).

Really hope for Takas win, how difficult path it has been for him.. must feel like wdc for him after all these years