The official driver of Hyundai Motor España leads the general classification of the event valid for the Super Spanish Rally Championship (S-CER). The Madrid native, along with David Vázquez, precedes the Lanzarote natives Yeray Lemes and Aitor Cambeiro. Those in the Citroën C3 Rally2, in addition to being on the national podium, lead the provisional standings in the regional category. The third step of the provisional podium is for the Lancia España team, Diego Ruiloba-Angel Vela, after a comeback that has placed them back in the fight for victory.
Pepe López and David Vázquez close the first day of the 28th Isla de Los Volcanes Gravel Rally – Arrecife City Trophy at the top of the standings. The three-time Super Spanish Rally Championship (S-CER) champion has rediscovered a sensation on his debut on the roads of Lanzarote that he had not experienced all season: leading an event in the top national championship at the wheel of his official team's Hyundai i20 N Rally2.
The Madrid driver and his Galician co-driver took the lead of the race organized by the Evesport Sports Club with their time in the second special stage of the day, ‘CICAR – Yaiza – Tías’, the longest on the itinerary with its 16.55 kilometers in length. Despite some dust filtering into the cockpit of their vehicle, López and Vázquez have managed to strengthen their coveted position before heading into Saturday's stage, which concentrates the longest timed distance. Although their advantage over the next classified drivers was reduced when they were penalized 5 seconds for touching a chicane on a stage. This tightens the provisional podium standings considerably.
The second position is occupied by Yeray Lemes and Aitor Cambeiro, first among the Canary Islands teams. In their gravel debut with the current Citroën C3 Rally2 with which they have achieved so many successes on asphalt roads, the local idols maintain pressure on their predecessors and, at the same time, lead the standings for the Canary Islands Gravel Rally Championship (CCRT). The provisional podium is completed by Diego Ruiloba and Ángel Vela, who are trying to regain ground at forced marches after suffering power problems in their Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale. This team has achieved the fastest times in TC3 and 4. They are currently separated from the leaders by 2.6 and 12.4 seconds, respectively.
Juan Carlos Quintana and Jonathan Hernández are fourth with the Škoda Fabia RS Rally2. The reigning regional champions have applied a high pace with the intention of not falling behind the leading positions. Sergi Pérez and Axel Coronado have lost significant time to reach the top three. Those in the Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 have dropped to fifth position after being surprised by an electrical problem that caused a sudden shutdown in their car on two occasions, as they approached the finish of TC3 and 4.
Giovanni Fariña and Alejandro Rodríguez, immersed in the adaptation process to the Hyundai i20 N Rally2, to which they have moved up this year with the Rallye Team Spain (RTS), are running sixth. The drivers from Tenerife have had to overcome a setback with the transmission of their unit, which at times lost traction in the rear axle. Borja Pérez and Rubén Pérez were seventh with their Škoda Fabia R5, but a slow puncture caused them to lose a few seconds and they were overtaken in the general classification by Ferran Jubany and Jandrín López (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2), although their close fight will continue tomorrow as they are separated by only 8.1 seconds.
In the Desafío Peugeot, the two Canary Islands teams present in the "Volcanes" are fighting for the lead, which for now favors Javi-Sosa-Carlos Fragiel, followed 11.5 seconds behind by Javi Cañada-Aday Ortiz. Very good for not knowing the terrain so well, Paco Puertas-Sergio Fernández, 6.7 seconds behind their teammates. Sosa-Fragiel are the first classified in two-wheel drive.
Despite it being a working day, the wind and the prevailing heat throughout the island of Lanzarote, the fans have responded very well, not only with their massive presence, but also with their behavior and respect for safety measures and the protection of the natural environment.
A complicated start
The first section was complicated for the organization of CD. Evesport, as the very first stage, Cabildo de Lanzarote-Haría, was neutralized early, after the track was blocked by the breakdown of the Hyundai i20 of the Canary Islanders Alfonso Viera-Ariday Bonilla. The favorites were not affected because they all chose later starting positions.
Therefore, the first real stage for the vast majority would be CICAR-Yaiza-Tías, where the negative news was given by Diego Ruiloba at the stop control, declaring that the Lancia had run out of power and was very disheartened by the more than half a minute he was losing with respect to his rivals.
The official driver of Hyundai Spain would be the author of the best time and took the lead after the first provisional position occupied by Giovanni Fariña from Tenerife, also a junior driver for Hyundai and Racing For Spain.
At this point, Víctor Barreto and Andrés Ramírez, a driver in the Canary Islands Championship, were already out due to breakdowns, while in the S-CER, Aleksandr Semenov was out with his Toyota Yaris out of service after going slightly off track and hitting a rock that left him with a damaged suspension.
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