Seven stages later, there is still nothing certain. The Canarian team, which holds the lead in the opening day of the third race of the FIA European Rally Championship, finished with a head-start of 8.4’’ over Nil Solans-Marc Martí. Yoann Bonato-Benjamin Boulloud are third at 12,1’’.
Having achieved two of the three best times in the play, the Canarian team finished the first four stages of the Rally Islas Canarias with a head-start of 8.9’’ over the Frenchmen Yoann Bonato-Benjamin Boulloud. The accident of Simon Wagner-Gerald Winter – first leaders of the race – caused the neutralization of the stage Santa Lucía.
The current Austrian champions turned out to be the most skilled team, completing the one and a half kilometres ‘Las Palmas de Gran Canaria-DISA’ special stage, which has officially opened the 46th edition of this rally – the third round of the FIA European Rally Championship. Nil Solans-Marc Martí became the best Spanish team qualified having settled a third position.
The Skoda driver from Gran Canaria and his co-driver José Carlos Déniz finished half a second ahead of Simone Campedelli-Tani Canton and their team mates Efrén Llarena-Sara Fernández. Enrique Cruz-Yeray Mujica achieved a fourth position in this stage of 3.09 kilometres, finishing up an impressive performance of the Canarian teams.
After a long Wednesday in which the teams have been focused on recognizing each and every special stage of this European race edition, it will be time for the first official contact with the pavement in Gran Canaria. The free practice, the qualifying stage and the super special stage ‘Las Palmas de Gran Canaria – DISA’ will be the highlights of next 12th May.
The 46th Rally Islas Canarias faces its first recce day
After the tests held in Artenara and other places on the island of Gran Canaria, such as Tejeda and Valsequillo, the teams participating in this third round of the FIA European Rally Championship will begin to recognize the stages of this edition. It will be a long day that will exceed 12 hours.
The preparations, at least in the rally cars, have come to an end. Now it is the turn of the participants to visit each of the stages scheduled for the 46th Rally Islas Canarias, recognitions that will be fundamental in this edition of the Gran Canaria event. This Tuesday has served for the fans to open their mouths. On the other hand, the organization has fit like a glove to put into practice the safety device that will be used between May 12 and 14 in each of the 13 special stages that this appointment of the FIA European Rally Championship.
Artenara has hosted the 'Tuesday Test', a day in which most of the great protagonists of this edition have finalized details on their vehicles with the aim of starting on Thursday with the maximum guarantees. Valsequillo over two days, and also Tejeda, have had activity. And starting this Wednesday, from 7:30 a.m., the teams will launch into the stages to take notes on each one of them. In this way, they will visit the routes of Valsequillo, Santa Lucía, Tejeda, Moya-Valleseco, Arucas and San Mateo. That will be until 8:30 p.m., because from then on, and until 10:00 p.m., it will be the turn of the Las Palmas de Gran Canaria super special stage, a track that runs around the Estadio de Gran Canaria and the Gran Canaria Arena and which will kick off this edition of the Rally Islas Canarias.
The cars of the international teams have already landed on the island of Gran Canaria. The ship 'Marie Curie', by Fred. Olsen Express & Balearia, has been the focus of the first photographs of the fans who, like every year, attend this first contact with the vehicles.
The third round of the FIA European Rally Championship and the second of the regional championship has been launched, supported by the main regional and island institutions, a little over a week before the start.
In addition to the winners of the first two events of the FIA European Rally Championship, Rally Islas Canarias will have the leaders of the support categories of this contest, the main Canarian teams and the members of up to five trophies. In total, 99 teams have formalized their registration. The ERC Junior, which starts in Gran Canaria, has 15 entered.
Victory will be sold dearly in the 46th edition of the Rally Islas Canarias to be held on May 12, 13 and 14. Among those entered are already some of the leaders of different categories of the FIA European Rally Championship.
Launching the new stage of the FIA European Rally Championship with WRC Promoter at the helm, the Organizing Committee of the most important event in Canary Islands has redesigned its itinerary with new stages and a scheme that is equally demanding for the teams and spectacular for the fans and for television, which, through the WRC+ platform, will broadcast the entire route live.
Leaders from start to finish – the Russian couple remains in the historical record book of this race, just one victory away from the record of Carlos Sainz. In 2nd position after a perfect second leg, Efrén Llarena won the Continental Sub-Championship and Sara Fernández the Co-Drivers Title. Enrique Cruz-Yeray Mujica are regional champions with the 4th absolute position and 2nd in the S-CER.
With Lukyanuk and Arnautov unmovable from the best times in the stages Arucas, Moya, Valleseco and Telde – having gained an advantage of nearly 40'' – Efrén Llarena and Sara Fernández have settled a second place ahead of Miko Marczyk-Szymon Gospodarczyk and Enrique Cruz-Yeray Mujica, who lead the regional part of the Rally.
Not even a 10 seconds sanction dented the superiority of the Russian Citroën team in the first nine from the 17-stages-itinerary of this last rally of the FIA European Rally Championship (ERC) and next-to-last of the Spanish Super Rally Championship (S-CER) and the Canarian Rally Championship on Asphalt. Enrique Cruz and Yeray Mujica revealed as the big surprise of this opening leg as they moved into the third position in the international rally, second in the S-CER and an outstanding lead in the Canarian regional. Llarena and Fernández, who placed 2nd in the absolute ranking, are at the head at national level.