RALLY REPORT
Kalle Rovanperä and Jonne Halttunen returned to the highest step of the FIA World Rally Championship podium for the primary time since final 12 months’s Rally Chile, dominating Rally Islas Canarias with 15 stage victories out of a attainable 18 and securing a profitable margin of 53.5 seconds.
Toyota was an unstoppable pressure on spherical 4 of the season, locking out the highest 4 locations due to Rovanperä/Halttunen, eight-time world champion Sébastien Ogier and Vincent Landais, championship leaders Elfyn Evans and Scott Martin, and Takamoto Katusta/Aaron Johnston.
To make sure efficient value management, groups should select the specification of sure elements corresponding to differentials and suspension earlier than starting a rally: this damage Hyundai, whose decisions on this regard didn’t work successfully on the sleek, high-speed sections of asphalt roads that are outstanding on Gran Canaria. Adrien Fourmaux/Alexandre Coria led a Hyundai 5-6-7, with Ott Tänak/Martin Järveoja promoted to sixth when Thierry Neuville/Martijn Wydaeghe suffered a puncture on the penultimate stage of the occasion.
M-Sport’s drivers encountered an analogous destiny to these at Hyundai, consistently tweaking automobile setups as they battled to dial understeer out of their Ford Pumas. Grégoire Munster/Louis Louka narrowly prevented crashing right into a tree on Saturday and misplaced three minutes in a ditch, finally ending eleventh; Josh McErlean/Eoin Treacy crashed on stage 14, damaging the left-rear of their automobile and retiring from the rally.
Yohan Rossel/Arnaud Dunand had been in a position to handle the early lead they constructed over Spanish champions Alejandro Cachón/Borja Rozada for WRC2 class victory. Mattéo Chatillon/Maxence Cornuau secured WRC3 victory; fellow Renault Clio Rally3 runners Arthur Pelamourgues/Bastien Pouget mounted a late cost however ran out of levels to catch the leaders.
FIA highlight
Nicolas Klinger, FIA Security Delegate: Rally Islas Canarias made its debut on the FIA World Rally Championship calendar this week. Nicolas Klinger outlines his job in controlling 1000’s of followers on the favored Spanish island.
“Everyone is aware of concerning the reputation of rallying in Spain and for the game that is very nice. However for all these folks engaged on the security aspect, it may be fairly a problem – this crew has risen to the problem so effectively.
“We’ve been working since six months and really carefully since February, like weekly assembly, readjusting all the pieces, reviewing final 12 months and former 12 months’s levels to attempt to add as many spectator areas as attainable and I’m actually proud for them. Like I stated, there have been a number of folks coming into the levels even from shakedown on Thursday morning, it was actually busy. However all the pieces has been good. The volunteers have carried out a improbable job, an enormous thanks to them and to all the folks engaged on the levels and the security aspect.
“We’ve the assistance of the Guardia Civil, controlling from the night time earlier than the visitors within the stage simply to make sure that we now have no camper vans or automobiles not effectively parked on the stage. All what has been put in place labored.
“The crew has labored arduous on informing the spectators on social media and thru all the media to inform them: ‘Please, all of us desire a clear rally and to have all the pieces good.’ This has occurred and that is additionally due to the spectators themselves.
“I might be trustworthy, after I heard about Rally Islas Canarias coming to the FIA World Rally Championship, I used to be considering rather a lot to how we might make this work from spectator management and security aspect. It couldn’t have gone higher.”
TEAM BY TEAM
Toyota Gazoo Racing
The defending FIA Producers’ Champion dominated the occasion from begin to end, with Kalle Rovanperä and Jonne Halttunen profitable the primary 12 levels. By then the Finns had constructed an unassailable lead on the prime of the timesheets – however that didn’t deter them from dominating Sunday too to safe a most 35-point haul.
Sébastien Ogier and Vincent Landais had been again for the primary time since Rallye Monte-Carlo and scored an distinctive second place. By his personal admission, Ogier struggled to search out a solution for his team-mate’s tempo. He did, nonetheless, keep forward of the Championship-leading #33 Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 of Elfyn Evans/Scott Martin. The British crew had been a trouble-free third, locking out the rostrum for Toyota Gazoo Racing and lengthening their world championship result in 43 factors.
The Japanese marque had dreamed of a FIA WRC record-equalling 1-2-3-4-5 end earlier than Sami Pajari/Marko Salminen crashed out on SS12. Takamoto Katsuta/Aaron Johnston bounced again from a disappointing finish to final month’s Safari Rally Kenya with fourth place.
Juha Kankkunen, Deputy Group Principal: “It was an unbelievable efficiency this weekend, particularly from Kalle and Jonne. Kalle was simply dominating the entire weekend, however the largest thanks belongs to the entire crew and the work they did in testing earlier than this rally. Our automobile was simply good for this rally, and we managed to realize a 1-2-3-4 which is kind of historic. As a driver I used to be a part of that very same formation end for Toyota at Safari Rally Kenya, and we as a crew have managed it earlier than nevertheless it doesn’t occur fairly often. Rallying has good days and unhealthy days, however this can be a lovely outcome.
“Lots of people have talked about Kalle and his begin to the season, however this weekend the automobile simply fitted to his fingers. I stated earlier than the rally that he hasn’t actually struggled, it’s simply the automobile is not powered by hybrid and his driving type didn’t match so effectively at first. I stated earlier than the rally: wait, when Kalle finds the fifth gear from the gearbox, it means hassle for the others.”
Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Group
One of many crew’s more difficult outings within the FIA World Rally Championship. A pre-event take a look at had left the trio of i20 N Rally1s ill-suited to the twists and turns of the Spanish island Tarmac.
They had been by no means ready to problem the front-running Toyotas throughout the unfold of spherical 4 and there was little to cheer among the many three crews. Adrien Fourmaux/Alexandre Coria had been usually the quickest of the manufacturing unit Hyundais – their i20 operating with a transmission setup which was usually extra beneficial for the high-grip floor. After a few sophisticated occasions in Sweden and Kenya, the Frenchmen took some comfort in main dwelling their World Championship-winning team-mates Ott Tänak/Martin Järveoja and Thierry Neuville/Martijn Wydaeghe in fifth place.
Tänak and Neuville had been joyful to see the end, each speaking of the necessity for refinements to the i20 forward of the following asphalt outing at Central European Rally (October 16-19). A puncture on the penultimate stage of the rally inhibited Neuville/Wydeaghe’s push to catch Fourmaux for fifth place, falling to seventh place on the end.
François-Xavier Demaison, Technical Director: “We’ve gathered tons and many good data that may assist us enhance the automobile for the longer term Tarmac rallies but additionally for the upcoming gravel rallies. It was an intensive take a look at session. We examined many, many issues this weekend however clearly we didn’t get the outcome we needed.”
M-Sport Ford World Rally Group
M-Sport ready a brace of pristine Ford Puma Rally1s for Grégoire Munster/Louis Louka and Josh McErlean/Eoin Treacy for the primary pure asphalt outing of the season.
Each drivers struggled to dial the Puma into the dry Tarmac and spent a lot of the primary day working by way of technical options to discover a extra impartial setup for the automobile. Following in a single day modifications to the automobile, Munster’s feeling improved by way of Saturday morning, earlier than he slid off the highway on the center stage of the Saturday afternoon loop.
The Luxembourg driver made additional evolutions to his setup and was caught out on a right-hander in SS11. He made the end of the stage and the day, dropping from ninth to sixteenth, earlier than demonstrating improved tempo on Sunday.
McErlean’s first all-asphalt outing in a Puma Rally1 offered loads of alternative for him to take expertise and study – which was precisely what he was doing earlier than he slid broad and hit the barrier on the opening stage of Sunday morning. He retired along with the highway.
Richard Millener, Group Principal: “To start with, I want to congratulate the organisers of Rally Islas Canarias on an excellent occasion. Stepping up from the FIA European Rally Championship to the WRC requires a major dedication at each stage and the crew right here has actually proven what might be carried out. We’ve had difficult roads, an excellent ambiance and massive numbers of spectators – all of whom have been managed very effectively.
“From our aspect, each Grég [Munster] and Josh [McErlean] got here right here in search of expertise and there’s little doubt they go away with extra complete data of what makes a Rally1 automobile work on dry asphalt. Naturally, it’s disappointing to see them each caught out – particularly for Josh lacking extra of Sunday’s mileage – however this is part of the sport.”
RALLY RESULTS
-
Kalle Rovanperä / Jonne Halttunen Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 2;54;39.8
-
Sébastien Ogier / Vincent Landais Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 +53.5
-
Elfyn Evans / Scott Martin Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 +1;17.1
-
Takamoto Katsuta / Aaron Johnston Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 +2;02.9
-
Adrien Fourmaux / Alexandre Coria Hyundai i20 N Rally1 +2;31.0
-
Ott Tänak / Martin Järveoja Hyundai i20 N Rally1 +3;11.4
-
Thierry Neuville / Martijn Wydaeghe Hyundai i20 N Rally1 +3;40.7
-
Yohan Rossel / Arnaud Dunand Citroën C3 Rally2 +7;10.7
-
Alejandro Cachón / Borja Rozada Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 +7;40.2
-
Nikolay Gryazin / Konstantin Aleksandrov Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 +7;58.4
DRIVER QUOTES
Kalle Rovanperä [Toyota], 1st place, stated:
“It has positively been among the best weekends we now have ever carried out, as a result of it’s not so usually at this stage that you are able to do outcomes like this anymore. Everyone’s going for it and we now have simply been a bit quicker on a regular basis, so I’m actually joyful. We did a extremely good preparation on the pacenotes as a result of it was all new levels, however total it comes from the setup being actually good. I most likely understood the [new Hankook hard compound] tyre fairly effectively: no overheating, no pushing in opposition to the driving, simply driving how the tyre desires to be pushed and it labored so effectively.”
Sébastien Ogier [Toyota], 2nd place, stated:
“The one ones who had been very spectacular this weekend had been Kalle and Jonne [Halttunen]. They’ve carried out an incredible rally. On my aspect it’s clearly a reasonably good weekend additionally. After three months with out competing, it’s all the time tough to be as sharp as you might be however I loved it a lot. The automobile was enjoyable to drive this weekend and we now have the right outcome for the crew to rejoice.”
Elfyn Evans [Toyota], third place, stated:
“Naturally whenever you aren’t ready to combat for the win whenever you’re in equal equipment, it by no means feels nice. I feel in equity we now have made some progress all through the weekend. The sensation was higher at present so an enormous thanks to the crew. They’ve ready us an unbelievable automobile to combat whereas the others have struggled, so massive thanks to them.”
Takamoto Katsuta [Toyota], 4th place, stated:
“It’s an excellent outcome for the crew, a 1-2-3-4 end. I needed to convey the automobile again at present after such robust moments we now have skilled, so it’s good to complete like this. Big due to the crew. It might be good to complete forward of one of many guys in entrance of me, however let’s see on the gravel. I like Portugal.”
Adrien Fourmaux [Hyundai], fifth place, stated:
“There are some positives from the weekend. We’re the winner of the ‘Hyundai Cup’, in order that’s nice! But in addition throughout the actually tough rallies you study rather a lot and make some steps for the longer term, so I simply hope we will do this. However I’m actually assured with the crew that we will do this. Ultimately we take some factors – it’s not what we needed, positively, however the season continues to be actually lengthy so we maintain pushing.”
Ott Tänak [Hyundai], sixth place, stated:
“Clearly a really demanding weekend – I feel it’s tough to search out the appropriate phrases. It’s most likely the worst we now have ever been as a crew. We didn’t do our homework, we weren’t ready and Toyota has set the bar very excessive, in order that they did an excellent job. When the automobile isn’t working I battle to push, to be trustworthy. We’ll discover out the place we’re in Portugal in a number of weeks’ time.”
Thierry Neuville [Hyundai], seventh place, stated:
“It hasn’t been a superb weekend, that’s clearly the case and it was seen most likely from the surface. We struggled rather a lot and we have to work tougher, that’s for certain. We have to put the finger the place it’s painful and are available again stronger. We haven’t been fortunate with the puncture which we misplaced rather a lot with, however it was good to see the entire crew saved preventing arduous regardless of all of the struggles.”
Grégoire Munster [M-Sport Ford], eleventh place, stated:
“We bought one thing unsuitable to start with which is sealed and we can not do something about it. Generally that’s how it’s, however we by no means gave up and we tried to search out options. Though the results of what we tried to realize isn’t there, we didn’t quit and that’s an important factor.”
Josh McErlean [M-Sport Ford], DNF, stated:
“It was a tough weekend for us. From the take a look at we form of knew we could battle with understeer, however myself and Grég [Munster, team-mate] had been working arduous collectively, sharing concepts about good the setup. By Saturday we weren’t as misplaced as we had been on Friday, however sadly we had been caught out on Sunday morning and needed to retire. Sorry to the M-Sport crew, the Motorsport Eire Rally Academy and all our supporters.”
Sami Pajari [Toyota], DNF, stated:
“We didn’t get the outcome we needed however I might be actually happy with my tempo. In comparison with the opposite drivers on some particular levels, we’re beginning to be actually, actually shut. So for certain, that is actually, actually cool to see. Sadly in SS12 we had been a bit too quick in a single lengthy nook. I’m undecided what occurred as a result of I feel I did the identical as I did within the morning, however we merely had an excessive amount of pace and hit the fence.”
Yohan Rossel [Citroën], WRC2 winner, stated:
“It all the time appears straightforward nevertheless it’s by no means straightforward. Alejandro Cachón pushed me rather a lot. I didn’t know the roads earlier than I got here right here so I didn’t know if I might have the ability to play for the win. I knew the automobile might however I wasn’t certain about myself, however fortunately we had been in a position to do it. Thanks to my crew, they deserve that.”
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
Drivers’
1 Elfyn Evans 109 factors
2 Kalle Rovanperä 66 factors (+4)
3 Thierry Neuville 59 factors (-1)
4 Sébastien Ogier 58 factors
5 Ott Tänak 57 factors (-2)
6 Adrien Fourmaux 44 factors (-1)
7 Takamoto Katsuta 39 factors
8 Sami Pajari 19 factors
9 Grégoire Munster 16 factors
=10 Mārtiņš Sesks 8 factors
=10 Gus Greensmith 8 factors
=10 Josh McErlean 8 factors
=10 Yohan Rossel 8 factors
Producers’
-
Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT 208 factors
-
Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT 157 factors
-
M-Sport Ford WRT 58 factors
-
Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT 2 25 factors
Statistics
Levels Received
Kalle Rovanperä 15
Sébastien Ogier 2
Elfyn Evans 1
Adrien Fourmaux 1
Yohan Rossel 1
Levels led
SS1–SS18 Kalle Rovanperä
Accrued 2025 statistics
Occasion victories
Elfyn Evans 2
Sébastien Ogier 1
Kalle Rovanperä 1
Levels received
Kalle Rovanpera 20
Elfyn Evans 13
Ott Tanak 12
Sebastien Ogier 8
Adrien Fourmaux 8
Takamoto Katsuta 7
Thierry Neuville 5
Gregoire Munster 2
Yohan Rossel 1
Levels led
Elfyn Evans 33
Kalle Rovanperä 18
Sébastien Ogier 13
Ott Tänak 8
Takamoto Katsuta 2
Thierry Neuville 1
Aggressive statistics after spherical 4
74 levels
1,294.62 aggressive kilometres coated
13h17m28.9s collected time for winner
The weekend in a single image
Kalle Rovanperä and Jonne Halttunen had been on flying kind to land their first win of the season, the Toyota crew dominating the Las Palmas-based Rally Islas Canarias.
