Solberg narrows gap to Ogier in Rally Islas Canarias thriller

Oliver Solberg narrowed the gap to leader Sébastien Ogier throughout Saturday’s action in the Canary Islands, reducing an 8.9-second overnight deficit to just 3.9 seconds by the end of the day. Challenging weather conditions, including rain and inconsistent grip, forced the leaders to balance speed with precision. Solberg’s aggressive push on the final stage of the day, a 28.90km test, proved critical in keeping the pressure on the Toyota driver.

Elfyn Evans solidified his position in third overall, delivering a stronger performance than his Friday outing by winning three stages. Behind the leading trio, Sami Pajari and Takamoto Katsuta rounded out a complete top-five lockout for Toyota. Meanwhile, Adrien Fourmaux emerged as the lead Hyundai representative in sixth, outpacing teammate Dani Sordo, while Thierry Neuville faced continued difficulties throughout the day.

In WRC2, Yohan Rossel maintained his advantage at the front of the category with a 27.5-second buffer. The battle for the runner-up spot in the class remains intense, with Alejandro Cachón and Léo Rossel separated by only 0.2 seconds. Competitors now look ahead to Sunday’s final four stages, which will include two passes of Ingenio - Valsequillo and Santa Lucía - Agüimes to determine the overall victor.