The driver from Lanzarote is premiering his new Renualt Clio Cup unit with a victory in the 18th RallySprint La Candelaria, an event also included in the Lanzarote Island Asphalt calendar. The teams wore a sticker in memory of Francisco Lemes 'El Menda' on the vehicles.
Jesús María Lemes and Mario Guillén are the first leaders of the Las Palmas Provincial RallySprint Championship and the Lanzarote Island Asphalt Championship. The Renault Clio Cup duo opened the 2025 season with a victory in the 18th RallySprint La Candelaria. After just over two months, the official competition resumed in the eastern province of the Archipelago with an event in which 22 teams took part.
The first weekend of activity in the Canary Islands was marked by the death of Francisco Lemes 'El Menda'. Father of two Spanish champions, Samuel and Yeray, he was one of the great promoters of motorsport in Lanzarote. His death led the Lanzarote Team to make changes to its program. Both the starting ceremony and the awards ceremony were suspended and a minute of silence was observed on Friday.
In the sporting part, the 2025 season began with Javier Cañada and Aday Ortiz applying their law at the controls of an Opel Corsa Rally4. The current champions of the Rally&You BP Ultimate Plus Car Cup added four consecutive scratches, but abandoned before the fifth and penultimate special. Their withdrawal handed over the baton of command of the general to Lemes and Guillén, a position they retained in the two timed sections that remained to be held.
The weather wanted to add a touch of uncertainty to the decisive phase of the test. Just when the participants were waiting to face the sixth and final heat, it started to rain on, practically, the 7.05 kilometers of the route. The grip levels were decreasing, a circumstance that forced the contestants to take extreme precautions. Without any scares on their way to the finish line, Lemes and Guillén managed to certify the victory.
In the second position of the general classification finished Alexander Barrios and Christopher Rijo with their Honda Civic, although without scoring or blocking as their car is covered by the regulations of the Classic group. Thus, the points corresponding to that position went to Cristo Antonio Pérez and Aida Nisa González (Renault Megane), while those pertaining to the third place were taken by Adian Pérez and Javier Padrón (Toyota Corolla AE92).
Returning to the general classification, in fifth place finished Agoney Díaz and Ayhtami Díaz aboard a Honda Civic VTI. Rubén Rivera-Tanausú Barreto (Peugeot 206 XS 1.6 16V), Jorge Guillén-Adriá Muñoz (BMW M3 E46), Domingo Perera-Cristina Perera (Seat Ibiza Cupra), Martín Robayna-Zuleina Casañas (Renault 5 GT Turbo) and Jordi García-David Trujillo (Peugeot 106) completed the top ten. Nineteen teams managed to reach the final closed park.
The Lanzarote Team Organization wants to thank the collaboration and support of the Cabildo de Lanzarote with the Department of Sports, the Centers of Art, Culture and Tourism, Ayt of Tías, Ayt of San Bartolomé, FALP, FCA, VMRM Motor, Rotulaciones Pintaderas, Cafetería Churrería Fontanales, Shell Arrecife, Distribuciones Betancort, Grupo Tiagua, Click Asistencia, Mármoles Brito, I C F, Radio Marca and CICAR that have extended their hands to join forces and experiences to work for the good of Lanzarote Motorsport.
