The Frenchmen Yoann Bonato and Benjamin Boulloud remain at the top of the 47th Rally Islas Canarias. They are just three special stages away from the victory in the second round of the FIA European Rally Championship. The Citroën C3 Rally2 couple, used to feature on the podium of the island competition, set the fastest times in each and every special stage performed in the first loop of the Saturday leg. Not even the return of the rain was able to stop them, it rather launched them to the leadership beyond the time limit of half a minute.

The most tricky stage due to the presence of the liquid element was ‘Moya-Valleseco’, the longest of the weekend. The teams found some parts of the pavement completely dry and others covered with threatening wetness. The leaders, thanks to the mounting of the proper tires, took advantage of that instability and put more than fifteen seconds between them and the New Zealanders Hayden Paddon-John Kennard (Hyundai i20 N Rally2), their closest competitors in the general ranking.

The best Spanish team, the one formed by Jan Solans-Rodrigo Sanjuán, ranked third on board a Hyundai i20 N Rally2. The last step of the FIA podium is the most sought-after at the moment. Five teams are eager to get to it, as scarcely eleven seconds span the winners of the 40 Rallye Sierra Morena and Efrén Llarena-Sara Fernández (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2), Mathieu Franceschi-Jules Escartefigue (Skoda Fabia Rally2 Evo), Iván Ares-José Pintor (Hyundai i20 N Rally2) y Andrea Nucita-Rudy Pollet (Hyundai i20 N Rally2).

In ERC3 the Britons Jon Armstrong-Cameron Fair move forward without any pressure with a Ford Fiesta Rally3 Evo that is an international premiere. Meanwhile, in the ERC4 division, the head positions change after the breakdown of the Italians Roberto Daprà-Luca Guglielmetti (Peugeot 208 Rally4). This pull out handed over the leadership to the Hungarians Bendegúz Hangodi-László Bunkoczi (Peugeot 208 Rally4).

The 47th Rally Islas Canarias resumes this Saturday afternoon, 6th May, with the repetition of the stages ‘Arucas’ (8.99 km), ‘Moya-Valleseco’ (27.74 km) and ‘San Mateo-Valsequillo’ (13.00 km), being this last one the Power Stage responsible of providing those extra points. The prize-giving ceremony, the closure and final event of this year edition, is set at 6.40 pm in the Estadio de Gran Canaria.