This Friday, the first stage "Ciudad de Arrecife" of the 23rd Isla de los Volcanes Land Rally of the CERT-GT2i was held and we already have the first warning from the favorite team, the international Nasser Al Attiyah-Matheus Baumel with the VW Polo GTi R5, who have set the best time of this special of only 2.5 km, which will also serve to choose the starting order. And also, with an important difference over the rest, making it clear that he has come with every intention of achieving victory in Lanzarote, after the overwhelming difference he has made up in this "appetizer" of the RTIV21.
They took the first scratch of the rally with a time of 2.51.4, six seconds less than the record of Yeray Lemes-Rogelio Peñate with the Skoda Fabia R5, who were left with 2.57.4. In turn, the Lanzarote driver puts 4.5 seconds between himself and another Canary Islands driver, in this case Kevin Guerra, with Aitor Cambeiro as co-driver in the VW Polo N5, with 3.01.9, surprising with a vehicle somewhat inferior to that of his rivals who follow him in this provisional classification, Gorka Eizmendi-Diego Sanjuán, Gustavo Sosa-Ariday Bonilla and Juan Carlos Quintana-Yeray Mujica, all three with Skoda Fabia R5.
The Qatari driver's substantial advantage over the Lanzarote driver is important, but it must be taken into account that the conditions of the Arrecife section are not comparable to the nine sections this Saturday, much faster and with better ground, than the slow layout of this special in charge of opening the road book and with a show section approach.
Among the two-wheel drive cars, the Renault Clio Rally5 of Alex Español-Claudio Ribeiro have been the best in this start of the rally, with a time of 3.39.4 and climbing to 17th place overall.
All are provisional results as the Arrecife timed special has not yet finished.
The Shakedown for Lemes -Peñate
The first impressions of the predictable fight that will be experienced for the triumph in the Isla de los Volcanes-Ciudad de Arrecife land rally, could be seen first thing in the afternoon in the Shakedown La Santa-Tinajo, where the best times were set by the Lanzarote driver Yeray Lemes, followed very closely by the favorite Nasser Al Attiyah, with their respective Skoda Fabia and VW Polo R5.
The best thing is that the first five classified were separated by only 5.2 seconds, with Kevin Guerra, Gorka Eizmendi and Juan Carlos Quintana next.
Although this section was only a training session in which 19 of the 54 registered teams participated, within the following minutes they are really put to the test with the celebration of the first section of the rally "Ciudad de Arrecife", which will serve as qualification to choose the starting order for tomorrow Saturday, day in which the remaining nine sections of the road book will be disputed.sular
After this special that is located within Arrecife, next to the fairgrounds and Cabildo Insular, in this same area will be developed the departure ceremony from 19:15 hours.
In the morning the rally operation was completely set up in the area of the Arrecife fairgrounds, base of this edition and of the first section that is disputed this Friday. The Sports Councilor of the Cabildo, Francisco Javier Aparicio, led the delegation to visit the entire infrastructure of the rally and spoke with several drivers in the work park.
The best time was 3.22.3 for the Lanzarote driver, which was 1.5 seconds ahead of the time of the Qatari driver, current leader of the CERT-GT2i.
The public did not miss this appointment with the Spanish Rally Cup and with all the anti-covid health precautions, as the large areas to accommodate fans prevent the dreaded crowds from forming.
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From 19.15 hours this first day ended with the departure ceremony from the podium area, next to the Cabildo de Lanzarote.
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