Thierry Neuville takes early lead in Safari Rally Kenya after winning opening stage

Thierry Neuville, the current leader of the world championship for Hyundai, secured an early lead in the Safari Rally Kenya by winning the opening Kasarani stage near Nairobi.

The rally will officially begin on Friday, with Neuville leading his Estonian teammate Ott Tanak by a mere tenth of a second after the initial stage.

Kalle Rovanpera, the reigning double world champion for Toyota, holds the third position and is 0.8 seconds behind the leader after the side-by-side heats.

Despite only participating part-time this season, Rovanpera expressed his satisfaction with his performance and strategy for the event.

Neuville currently holds a three-point lead over Toyota's Elfyn Evans in the championship standings, aiming to avoid technical issues and mistakes that have plagued him in previous Kenyan attempts.