World Rally Championship: Elfyn Evans wins Safari Rally Kenya to extend overall lead

Having won Thursday’s opening stage and two on Saturday, Evans and co-driver Scott Martin took a lead of just under two minutes into Sunday.

However, given the attritional nature of the rally, the Toyota Gazoo Racing duo opted for a safety first approach to the final five stages.

They ceded 47 seconds on the final day but still finished one minute 9.9 seconds ahead of Tanak, with Thierry Neuville a further two minutes 22 seconds adrift.

It meant Evans collected only two Sunday points, but with 25 for the rally victory it took his total to 88, following victory in Sweden last month and a runners-up spot in January’s season-opening Rallye Monte Carlo.

Last year’s championship winner Neuville has moved up from fourth place to second on 52 points, with Tanak third on 49.

Northern Ireland’s Josh McErlean enjoyed mixed fortunes in the third race of his first WRC season. He lost 29 minutes on Saturday’s opening run after breaking a steering arm on his Ford M-Sport Puma.

However, McErlean and co-driver Eoin Treacy went on the deliver their best performance in a Rally1 car with the second-best time on stage 15.

They placed 11th in Kenya and picked up one Super Sunday point to remain in 11th spot overall.

Round four of the 14 race calendar is the Rally Islas Canarias from 24-27 April.