Solberg Holds 1-Second Lead Over Ogier After Friday

Oliver Solberg clung to a razor-thin one-second lead over Toyota teammate Sebastien Ogier at the end of Friday's action in the World Rally Championship's Safari Rally Kenya, after a day of punishing stages that nearly erased his overnight advantage.

The Swede, fresh off a victory in Monte Carlo, began the day with a 33.3-second cushion over Elfyn Evans and more than a minute over the nine-time champion Ogier, following a rain-soaked Thursday that saw Solberg build his edge through muddy and flooded opening stages near Naivasha. Friday's itinerary, the rally's first full competitive day, featured seven stages totaling around 125 kilometers around Lake Naivasha, with rocky and rutted terrain testing crews amid dry conditions that spared them further weather chaos but amplified mechanical risks.

The morning loop passed with minor incidents, including Ogier's puncture in stage six that cost him little time, leaving him 38.2 seconds behind Solberg at midday service. The afternoon ignited the drama: Ogier set the fastest time in stage seven to overtake Evans for second place, then closed relentlessly. Solberg, prioritizing a cautious approach to navigate the brutal Kenyan roads,...