The XXIV International Rally Isla de los Volcanes-Ciudad de Arrecife Trophy has been enlivened from the beginning by the high-flying struggle between the Norwegian Henning Solberg and the Canarian Juan Carlos Quintana, who have taken turns in the lead of the race throughout the eight timed sections contested: "BP-Puerto del Carmen-Mácher", "CASTROL-Tabayesco-Mala" and "NAVIERA ARMAS-Tinajo-Las Betancoras". But the Solberg-Bernacchini duo managed to push to the maximum the differences they made, especially in sections 7 and 8, where the rain came to muddy part of the sections, to put a barrier of seconds that Quintana-Mujica finally failed to make up. With the result of a brand new triumph for the Solberg-Bernacchini team, who took three scratchs in the sections, against the five won by Quintana Mujica, second classified after running as much as the winners. The podium was completed by the first Lanzarote team, Esteban Feo-Jesús Alonso, with Mitsubishi Lancer Evo.
To the singularity of the Lanzarote layouts was added some rain throughout the day, which has further complicated the driving. But improving the ground of the dirt tracks, with a great assistance of fans despite the water. On the positive side, this rain led to the absence of annoying dust.
In the first half of the race, the fight for the lead has been a constant struggle between Henning Solberg and Juan Carlos Quintana, who have alternated at the head of the general classification. The Skoda driver won three of the four sections held this morning and is now first, with only 1.8 seconds ahead of the Norwegian Citroen driver, who won the TC4 reducing his own time from the previous run by more than 12 seconds, placing himself on the fly leader of the rally. For Solberg everything is new in this rally and then Quintana by the minimum returned to take the lead.
Second pass through the sections of Tinajo and Tabayesco-Mala, where Solberg returned to show that he wanted to climb to the top of the podium, again reducing his own times and returning to take the lead that led him to the maximum difference of 6.9 seconds over Quintana-Mujica, winning in passing the TC Plus (TC8 Tinajo). He only gave up 1.9 seconds in the last of Tabayesco-Mala to the Spanish champion team, which meant leaving in the last section with only five seconds of advantage.
And the last section arrived where the emotion rose when Quintana was only two tenths of the best time in Tinajo marked by the Norwegian driver. And indeed, the driver from Gran Canaria marked the scratch, but the 49-year-old Norwegian still in full rally form, left a few minimal seconds that made him maintain the lead and in passing the final victory of Solberg-Bernacchini in the Rally Isla de los Volcanes, by only 2.9 seconds difference. In line with the close fight they maintained throughout the day. A triumph that enhances the international character of the rally and a second place for Quintana-Mujica with which they close their most brilliant season.
Bad luck for the Portuguese Bernardo Sousa, who after a slight exit in the first section broke parts of the front area and still was second scratch, but could not continue in the next section. And re-engaged later returned to be second in Tabayesco, but in the jumps of the section of Tinajo, both he and his co-driver Vitor Calado, were injured in the back and stopped for safety. They continued two more sections with head times, but when they arrived at the assistance the pains persisted and as a precaution they decided not to continue and went to the hospital for a review. And the jump was so strong that they lost the spoiler and the rear window.
Very good rally for Esteban Feo-Jesús Alonso, who reached the podium in third position with the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo, despite some problems that made him penalize 40 seconds. This team would be the first of the Lanzaroteños.
They are followed by Gustavo Sosa-Edu González with the Skoda, fourth with the Fabia Rally2, while another team from Fuerteventura, Iriome Perdomo-Francisco del Pino (Subaru Impreza) finished fifth overall. The leader in two-wheel drive throughout the race, Cristian Calderín-Vero Tejera with the Golf GTi, achieved sixth place overall, ahead of the Galicians Manuel Osorio-Alberto Dos Reis (Peugeot 208 R5), who maintained a hand-to-hand this afternoon with the drivers from Gran Canaria Iván Marrero-Jorge Cedrés, who are climbing positions with their Mitsubishi Evo X, but finally finished eighth only 2.7 tenths of the previous ones.
Roberto Hernández-Christofer Rijo (Skoda Fabia N3) and Pedro Cuarental-Dani Sosa (Mitsu Evo X), completed the group of the top ten classified.
In motorcycles continued all day the dominance of Andrés Hormigo and Javier Peña in quads.