RALLYGP – Branch Strikes First

Navigation in the South African bush proved a formidable challenge, and strategic thinking was already at play during the start position ceremony. Ross Branch boldly opted to “open the gates” by choosing to start first — a tactical move that raised eyebrows. KTM’s Luciano Benavides followed suit, aiming to keep Branch close and in sight.

The 260-kilometre stage delivered on its promise of tough conditions: narrow tracks, thick mud, and endless gates across farmland. Benavides initially led the way, but Branch soon caught up, and the duo rode together for most of the day. In the end, it was Branch who emerged victorious, earning his first stage win of the season, while Benavides settled for fifth.

“The whole day opening with Luciano was amazing. So I think we did a good job,” Branch said post-stage.

Adrien Van Beveren impressed with a second-place finish, just 55 seconds behind Branch, despite early issues with his roadbook tablet. American Ricky Brabec took third after briefly holding the lead, while Daniel Sanders recovered from a six-minute early error only to receive a penalty that dropped him to fourth. Home favorite Bradley Cox lost over 25 minutes in a frustrating outing.

RALLY2 – Canet Claims the Day

The Rally2 category saw a major shake-up, with Spain’s Edgar Canet taking both the stage win and the overall lead after a day of solid, clean riding.

“This is the best feeling… after a really tricky stage, finally P1 in Rally2 and P8 overall,” said a thrilled Canet.

Hero MotoSports rider Tobias Ebster finished just 12 seconds back, while Konrad Dabrowski completed the podium. South African Michael Docherty originally won the stage but was handed a 13-minute penalty for a missed start, dropping him to third. Harith Noah sadly crashed out with a wrist injury.

QUADS – Martinez Dominates Again

Frenchman Gaetan Martinez continued his perfect start in the Quads category, finishing over 25 minutes ahead of his teammate Antanas Kanopkinas, who sustained damage to a rear arm. Martinez remains firmly in the lead after two stages, with several rivals failing to finish today’s chaotic ride.

“Everything went perfect for me but the rally is not over… the marathon stage is still to come,” Martinez cautioned.

ULTIMATE – Lategan Triumphs on Home Soil

South African Henk Lategan delivered a commanding performance in the Ultimate class, overcoming a strong international field to take the stage win by over two minutes from Carlos Sainz.

“We left quite a bit of time out there… but a stage win is a stage win,” said Lategan, clearly pleased with his return to form.

Sebastien Loeb, despite expectations he’d start at the back due to earlier issues, found himself leading the pack and navigated cleanly to third place. Jayden Els, just 20 years old, impressed with a stunning fourth-place finish, while veteran Nani Roma completed the top five.

CHALLENGER – Zille Victorious After Late Drama

Argentina’s David Zille claimed victory in the Challenger category after fellow countryman Nicolas Cavigliasso took a wrong turn late in the stage, dropping to fourth. Zille now leads the class, with just over five minutes separating the top five.

SSV – Surprise Win for Aczel

In the SSV class, British driver Richard Aczel pulled off a shock victory after W2RC leader Alexandre Pinto lost over 90 minutes due to a heavy impact. Aczel, who previously tackled the Kenya Classic in a vintage Porsche, was stunned by his result:

“I thought the mechanics were upset because the car was muddy… and they said, ‘No, you’ve won!’”

Aczel leads fellow Brit George Halles in a surprise 1–2 finish.

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Overall Standings (After Stage 1):

• RallyGP: Ross Branch leads by 50 seconds after combining with prologue results.

• Rally2: Edgar Canet holds an 18-second advantage over Tobias Ebster.

• Ultimate: Henk Lategan tops the leaderboard, ahead of Sainz and Loeb.

• Quads: Gaetan Martinez is comfortably in front.

• Challenger: David Zille leads a tight field.

• SSV: Aczel takes the lead after a dramatic day.

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With one stage down and four still to go — including the grueling marathon stage — the South African Safari Rally is only just heating up. Riders and drivers alike will need to summon their best as the adventure continues.

Stay tuned for more action from the heart of the bush!

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