Toyota dominates opening day of Rally Canarias

Sebastien Ogier has seized control of Rally Canarias, claiming four stage victories on Friday to establish an 8.9-second lead. The nine-time world champion’s performance spearheaded a successful day for Toyota, as GR Yaris Rally1 machines secured every position in the top five. Oliver Solberg holds second place, having emerged as the only driver to deny Ogier a stage win during the opening full-length tests, while Sami Pajari completes the current podium.

Elfyn Evans follows in fourth, narrowly ahead of championship leader Takamoto Katsuta, who struggled with front-end confidence throughout the afternoon despite sharing the fastest time on the final stadium stage. While the Toyota contingent thrived, Hyundai Motorsport faced a tougher outing; Dani Sordo leads their charge in sixth place, as Thierry Neuville and the rest of the squad found it difficult to match the pace on the high-grip island roads.

M-Sport Ford experienced a challenging day, hampered by mechanical issues for Jon Armstrong and a more reserved pace from Josh McErlean. In the WRC2 category, Yohan Rossel has emerged as the frontrunner, ending the day at the head of the class in his Lancia Ypsilon HF Rally2 with a 22-second cushion over Alejandro Cachón. Competitors now look ahead to Saturday, which features the event's most extensive itinerary.