Saturday, 14 May 2022 14:38

Nil Solans-Marc Martí, new leaders of the 46th Rally Islas Canarias

The puncture of Luis Monzón-José Carlos Déniz has lead to a change in the head oft this third race of the FIA European Rally Championship only three stages away from the end. The champions of Mundo Junior 2017 have settled their Volkswagen at the top, ahead of the Citroën from Bonato-Boulloud and the Skoda from Llarena-Fernández.

Saturday, 14th May 2022.

A bucket of cold water hit the Canarian fans as they saw how Luis Monzón and José Carlos Déniz had to take the path of the withdrawal when they were leading the 46th Rally Islas Canarias. The Skoda team had a puncture in the front right wheel during the Arucas stage – ninth of the race and second of the day – and they could not longer continue.

The loss of the Canarian team caused that Nil Solans and Marc Martí (Volkswagen polo GTI R5), who had already finished in second place the leg on Friday, have taken the lead in the same stage in which they had achieved a new best time. The winners of the first race of the FIA ERC, if they come out victorious in this rally, could regain the leadership of the championship. The Frenchmen Yoann Bonato and Benjamin Boulloud (Citroën C3 Rally2) keep their position 10.4’’ behind the Spanish team, but with Efrén Llarena-Sara Fernández (Skoda Fabia Rally2 Evo) just two seconds away from them.

The best local chance is now the Ford Fiesta Rally2 from the Canarian champions Enrique Cruz-Yeray Mujica. Once more, the DISA team has managed to achieve best time in the first round through ‘San Mateo’ and although they are less than eight seconds away from the podium, they will have to break their backs this afternoon in order to access to what it would be their first European ‘pedestal’.

The Polish Grzegorz Grzyb and Kamil Kozdron (Skoda Fabia Rally2 Evo) overturned their car in Arucas, what established the Spaniards Javier Pardo-Adrián Pérez (Skoda Fabia Rally2 Evo) and Pep Bassas-Áxel Coronado (Skoda Fabia R5) in the sixth and seventh position.

In the regional section, the withdrawal of Monzón and Déniz has given the key to the rally to Enrique Cruz-Yeray Mujica, who have a clear path to achieve a new victory. Miguel Suárez-Eduardo González are in second place more than two minutes and a half behind.

The Canarian podium is provisionally completed with the leaders of the DISA Orvecame Rally Cup.

The Rally Islas Canarias has still a last section left with a second round through the stages ‘Moya-Valleseco’ (27.42 km), ‘Arucas’ (9.3 km) and ‘San Mateo’ (12.04 km). This final stage will be the ‘Power Stage’ of the race and will give bonus points among the fastest teams. The results of the 46th Rally Islas Canarias can be followed live through WRC+.

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