WRC Islas Canarias: A Stadium Super Special Stage and a Toyota Dominance
The WRC Islas Canarias rally kicked off with a thrilling stadium super special stage, showcasing the prowess of Toyota's Takamoto Katsuta. This unique event, held inside the Gran Canaria football stadium, featured three loops of a tricky 1.89km course, with crews battling it out in a head-to-head format. And it was Katsuta who emerged victorious, dispatching Hyundai's Adrien Fourmaux by a narrow margin of 1.4 seconds.
What makes this victory even more impressive is the fact that Katsuta's time eclipsed the benchmark set by his Toyota team-mate, Sami Pajari, by a mere 0.4 seconds. Pajari, who had set the pace earlier, was quoted as saying, 'It's quite a special stage for the fans. A bit of a shame because this car is not meant to drive that slow.' This highlights the challenge of adapting to unique stages, especially when the car's performance is not optimized for such conditions.
The Italian Roberto Daprà, driving a Rally2 Skoda, managed to outpace several faster Rally1 crews, finishing just 0.8 seconds slower than Katsuta. Daprà's enthusiasm was evident in his words, 'We have a perfect setup for this stage. The hit [landing] was huge on the jumps and both of our backs are almost destroyed. I love these kind of stages and hope nobody is faster than me.' This enthusiasm adds a layer of excitement to the competition.
The M-Sport-Ford duo of JoshMcErlean and Oliver Solberg also engaged in a close battle, with McErlean edging Solberg by 0.8 seconds to secure fifth overall. Solberg, however, had to settle for 10th overall, with a 2.0-second deficit. The reigning world champion, Sebastien Ogier, and Fourmaux posted identical times, tying for sixth overall.
The event's unique format continued with Elfyn Evans and Thierry Neuville sharing eighth overall, with identical times of +1.9 seconds. This tight competition throughout the stage highlights the high level of skill and precision required in WRC.
As the rally progresses, crews will tackle six asphalt stages before another blast through the Gran Canaria super special, covering 108 competitive kilometers. This promises more thrilling moments and strategic battles as the championship unfolds. The WRC Islas Canarias is a testament to the sport's ability to create unique and exciting challenges, pushing drivers and teams to their limits.
