The Rally Islas Canarias competition reaches its final day under intense expectations, with Sébastien Ogier holding a narrow lead of 3.8 seconds over his teammate, Oliver Solberg. This outcome follows Ogier finishing Saturday with a difference of only 3.8s, down from an initial lead of 8.9s.
The day began with Ogier dominating, but rain during the first two stages altered the conditions, allowing Solberg to reduce his gap to 5.3s before the midday service. In the afternoon stage, while the rain stopped, the competition between Ogier, Solberg, and Elfyn Evans intensified, with only seven-tenths separating them in the first test of the afternoon, which Evans won.
The close competition became apparent in stage 13, where Ogier and Solberg recorded the same times. However, in the last test of the day, Solberg achieved a key victory, surpassing Ogier by 1.4s, setting the stage for an exciting conclusion during the last four tests on Sunday.
Ogier appeared very motivated for the final day: “I’m excited for tomorrow. Finally, there are some new stages that will be fun to drive. If you don’t enjoy these types of battles, you might as well stay home,” he said.
Solberg, for his part, expressed his determination: “I won’t panic about beating Ogier, but at least we’ve been close all day. We have four long stages ahead – anything is possible.” Evans, who struggled with a faulty tire, was third at 21.9 seconds behind Ogier, but hopeful for improvement.
At the top of the standings, Hiroshi Katsuta fought for a better return, while his teammate, Sami Pajari, improved his position and placed himself with a 10.4s advantage over the current championship leader.
In the Hyundai team, Adrien Fourmaux finished as the best of the group, ending in sixth place. Acknowledging his performance, he said: “Being sixth shows that we are not at the front line, but I think it’s positive given the circumstances.” Daniel Sordo and Thierry Neuville, on the other hand, struggled to find the right return, finishing seventh and eighth respectively.
The Rally Islas Canarias concludes this Sunday after four stages totaling 78.4 km, promising an exciting and fiercely contested finish among the protagonists.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
