{"id":68687,"date":"2026-04-25T13:58:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-25T11:58:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/autoestrada.ch\/?p=68687"},"modified":"2026-04-25T13:58:02","modified_gmt":"2026-04-25T11:58:02","slug":"wrc-ogier-builds-early-advantage-in-gran-canaria-on-friday","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/autoestrada.ch\/en\/wrc-ogier-builds-early-advantage-in-gran-canaria-on-friday\/","title":{"rendered":"WRC – Ogier builds early advantage in Gran Canaria on Friday"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

S\u00e9bastien Ogier headed a Toyota Gazoo Racing lockout of the top five after a commanding opening day on WRC Rally <\/a>Islas Canarias<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

S\u00e9bastien Ogier headed a Toyota Gazoo Racing lockout of the top five after a commanding opening day on Rally <\/a>Islas Canarias.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The nine-time world champion won four of Friday\u2019s five full-length asphalt stages<\/a> to build an 8.9sec lead over team-mate Oliver Solberg, with Sami Pajari completing the overnight podium a further 7.0sec back.<\/p>

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Elfyn Evans ended the day fourth, just 0.5sec behind Pajari, while championship leader Takamoto Katsuta completed the top five in another dominant showing for Toyota\u2019s GR Yaris Rally1 cars on the high-grip roads of Gran Canaria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ogier, who returned this weekend after skipping Croatia Rally, moved into the lead on Friday\u2019s opening Valleseco – Artenara test and never looked back. He was fastest again on both passes of Mog\u00e1n – La Aldea, as well as the afternoon run through Tejeda – San Mateo, before the day ended with a short super special inside Gran Canaria Stadium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt has been a good day,\u201d said Ogier after SS8. \u201cI am starting to enjoy this a lot now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Solberg was the only driver to beat Ogier on one of the full-length stages, edging the Frenchman by 0.1sec on the repeat of Valleseco – Artenara. The 24-year-old admitted the afternoon had not been straightforward, but his pace was enough to climb from fourth at midday to second by the end of the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pajari also moved up the order late in the day, matching Katsuta\u2019s fastest time on the final stadium stage to edge ahead of Evans into third overall. The Finn had admitted earlier in the afternoon that set-up changes had not delivered the improvement he wanted, but remained firmly in the podium fight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Evans, meanwhile, was left searching for more after a day in which he showed flashes of pace but could not consistently match Ogier and Solberg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m not super happy as we wanted more from the day and Oliver and Seb have been faster,\u201d said Evans. \u201cWe need to find some improvements.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Katsuta, who led overnight after Thursday\u2019s opener, struggled for front-end confidence during the afternoon and slipped to 29.7sec off the lead, though he ended the day on a positive note by sharing the fastest time on SS8.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAt least something positive from the day,\u201d he said. \u201cI really struggled today.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hyundai Motorsport endured a more difficult Friday, with Dani Sordo the best of its i20 N Rally1 runners in sixth overall on his first WRC appearance of the season. The Spaniard ended the day 52.0sec from the lead, 2.8sec ahead of Adrien Fourmaux, with Thierry Neuville eighth after struggling to trust the front of his car through the island\u2019s long, committed corners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

M-Sport Ford\u2019s Josh McErlean held ninth overnight after a steady day in his Puma Rally1, while team-mate Jon Armstrong dropped to 11th after an eventful Friday that included a trip down an escape road on SS4, wheel rim damage on SS7 and a transmission issue on the final stadium stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt has not been our day,\u201d Armstrong said. \u201cOn the tyre warm-up on the way to the stage we broke something and we had to do it with front-wheel drive only. We just had to get around.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In WRC2, Yohan Rossel completed the overall top 10 and led the category after a strong day aboard his Lancia Ypsilon HF Rally2. The Frenchman ended Friday 22.0sec clear of Alejandro Cach\u00f3n, with younger brother L\u00e9o Rossel third in class.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt was a great day for the team to have this feeling in the car,\u201d said Yohan Rossel. \u201cIt was incredible.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Saturday brings the longest day of the rally, with crews facing two passes of Maspalomas, Arucas \u2013 Firgas – Teror and Moya – G\u00e1ldar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Standings after Friday <\/a>(SS8 \/18):
1. S Ogier \/ V Landais FRA Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 54m 27.5s
2. O Solberg \/ E Edmondson SWE Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 +8.9s
3. S Pajari \/ M Salminen FIN Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 +15.9s
4. E Evans \/ S Martin GBR Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 +16.4s
5. T Katsuta \/ A Johnston JPN Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 +29.7s
6. D Sordo \/ C Carrera ESP Hyundai i20 N Rally1 +52.0s<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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