Rally Islas Canarias witnessed a dominant performance by Toyota, with Sébastien Ogier leading the pack with an 8.9-second advantage at the end of Friday’s leg. Ogier’s impressive display put him ahead of his teammates and solidified Toyota’s hold on the top five positions in the World Rally Championship event on the Spanish island. The smooth asphalt roads favored Toyota’s performance, but it was Ogier, the nine-time world champion, who shone the brightest. He seized the rally lead after winning stage two and extended his lead to 5.9 seconds after a shortened morning loop due to the cancellation of stage three.
During the afternoon stages, Ogier engaged in a tight battle with teammate Oliver Solberg, with both drivers sharing victories across the stages. Ultimately, Ogier emerged victorious, with Solberg’s improved pace securing him the second position overall. The competition continued to intensify, with Sami Pajari of Toyota claiming third on the final super special stage, closely followed by Elfyn Evans. Despite their efforts, both drivers expressed dissatisfaction with their performance, acknowledging the need for improvements to challenge Ogier and Solberg at the front.
However, the Hyundais faced significant challenges on the smooth asphalt roads, with all three crews struggling to find balance and confidence in the i20 N. Dani Sordo emerged as the best-performing Hyundai driver, finishing in sixth place despite encountering obstacles during the stages. With tough competition ahead, the Hyundai team aimed to enhance their performance and match the speed of their rivals.
M-Sport-Ford encountered a challenging day, with both Josh McErlean and Jon Armstrong battling understeer and balance issues in their Ford Pumas. Armstrong’s day ended on a disappointing note after encountering barriers and transmission problems, while McErlean finished ninth overall, reflecting on a wild off experience during one of the stages.
In the WRC2 class, Lancia’s Yohan Rossel displayed a commanding performance, leading by 22.0 seconds over Alejandro Cachon in a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2. The competition is set to continue on Saturday, with crews gearing up for six more stages and 112 competitive kilometers ahead.
As the action unfolds in Rally Islas Canarias, the drivers and teams remain focused on refining their strategies and overcoming challenges to secure favorable outcomes in the competition.
