- Camp Moran reported the second setbacks for the 2025 Safari Rally following the retirements of Adrien Fourmaux and Oliver Solberg.
- This marked Forumaux's second withdrawal within two consecutive days, following an issue where his vehicle wouldn't start prior to SS2 on Thursday.
- His fellow team member Ott Tänäk kept the lead at the top, with championship front-runner Elfyn Evans remaining in second place as they approached SS9.
Naivasha, Kenya
Adrien Fourmaux's difficult stretch in Kenya persisted when the Hyundai racer had to withdraw from competition for the second consecutive day.
After suffering a front-right puncture during Camp Moran – which is the longest and toughest section of this year’s rally – Fourmaux had to withdraw from the competition.
The Hyundai driver had also withdrawn on Thursday due to a master relay or electric failure along the road section after the first stage in Kasarani.
What led to Adrien Fourmaux withdrawing from the Safari Rally during the initial day?
A crestfallen Fourmaux detailed the issues he faced with his vehicle on Thursday.
The most terrible situation in a rally car is an electrical issue. That happened to me; I attempted to start the vehicle, and it did ignite briefly but died immediately afterward. Afterward, there was no response. To get some power, we even utilized the battery from the impact wrench so that others could help push-start it.
We managed to start the car, but as the battery was nearly drained, it required substantial power which caused a small fire on the left side, ultimately leading to the vehicle shutting down.
Why did Adrien Fourmax retire from SS7 Camp Morant?
He returned to action early on Friday at Camp Moran 1 despite facing a 10-minute penalty. Misfortune hit another French competitor when their Hyundai suffered a flat tire. Choosing to push forward, they continued driving until the strain on the suspension proved overwhelming, ultimately leading them to halt close to the finish of the stage.
It was ironic for Fourmaux since his teammates, Ott Tänak and Thierry Neuville, recorded the quickest times on the stage.
In WRC2, Oliver Solberg had to withdraw from the race when he became trapped in the loose gravel known as fesh-fesh.
“I exited that sharp turn and encountered what they call the first ‘fech-fech’ section for the first time. Honestly, I found myself stuck there. No warnings were given, nor did I have prior knowledge of it, so here I am. We hit the lowest point possible and that concludes our run,” he shared with Dirt Fish.
More to follow.
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