Piers Daykin exorcised the ghosts of a past crash to storm into a commanding lead as the 2025 East African Safari Classic Rally roared to life in Kwale on Saturday. Navigating the treacherous coastal terrain with surgical precision, Daykin and co-driver Lloyd Destro left the competition trailing in their dust, signaling early on that this year’s title fight will be as much about psychological resilience as raw horsepower.

In an event revered globally as the ultimate test of man and machine, Daykin’s performance in the Datsun 280Z was a statement of intent. He concluded the opening leg with a cumulative time of 01:55:18.2, establishing a formidable gap of 3 minutes and 40.1 seconds over his nearest rival, the multiple Safari Rally champion Baldev Chager.

A Psychological Victory

For Daykin, the opening day was not merely about clocking the fastest times across the three demanding stages; it was about trusting his machinery. The Datsun 280Z he piloted is a fresh build of the very car involved in his previous accident, adding a layer of mental pressure to the physical challenge.

“This is a new car for me, but you have to remember that this event has got such a psychological weight on me because of the last experience I had,” Daykin admitted after the final stage. He described the first stage as a “shakedown” to ensure the vehicle’s reliability, noting that surviving the day has boosted his confidence. “To have had a good first day, it kind of makes me pretty happy.”

Navigating the Chaos

While Daykin found his rhythm, Baldev ‘Boldy’ Chager faced a chaotic day in his Porsche 911. Sitting second overall with a time of 01:58:58.3, Chager battled visibility issues and the unpredictable nature of open roads. He revealed that he spent approximately 10 kilometers driving blindly in the dust of competitor Eugenio, a hazard he described as “part of the game.”

However, the veteran driver raised concerns about safety on the narrow, flowing sections of Stage 2, where local traffic posed a significant risk. “Being first on the road wasn’t fun at all,” Chager emphasized. “We had to slow down often because every few brows had something, and the last thing you want is to hurt somebody or ourselves.”

Bell Survives Late Drama

Rounding out the top three were Geoff Bell and Tim Challen in their Datsun 260Z. They finished just over a minute behind Chager with a time of 02:00:33.9. Their day was nearly derailed in the final kilometers when mechanical sympathy was put to the test.

“We had no problems until right at the very end when, with about 11 kilometers to go, we picked up a puncture,” Bell explained. Despite the setback, the team limped to the finish line without losing critical ground. Bell remained optimistic, praising the car's power and the quality of the stages.

Day 1 Leaderboard Summary:

• 1. Piers Daykin / Lloyd Destro (Datsun 280Z): 01:55:18.2
• 2. Baldev Chager (Porsche 911): 01:58:58.3 (+3:40.1)
• 3. Geoff Bell / Tim Challen (Datsun 260Z): 02:00:33.9 (+5:15.7)

As the rally heads into the longer, harsher stages characteristic of the East African hinterland, the leaderboard remains fragile. With Daykin proving that his demons are behind him, the pressure now shifts to Chager and the chasing pack to close the gap before the terrain takes its inevitable toll.