Summary of the Islas Canarias 2019 Rally
Organized around Las Palmas de Gran Canaria on May 3 and 4, 2019, the Islas Canarias Rally is the second round of the ERC, the first on asphalt. 22 competitors are competing in a very diversified R5 class (RC2), ready to fight a fierce battle on the mountainous and abrasive roads of the Canary Islands.
C3 R5 confirmed its high level of performance on asphalt from the outset, winning all the ES in the first stage. Alexey Lukyanuk (Citroën C3 R5) and Pepe Lopez (Citroën C3 R5) quickly broke away at the front of the race. At the end of the first stage, they were only 3.8s apart in favour of the Russian driver. Chris Ingram, on Skoda Fabia R5, completed the provisional podium more than 40s behind the race leader.
At ES 9, the first of the second stage, Alexey Lukyanuk gave up after damaging the suspension of his C3 R5. Pepe Lopez then took the lead of the rally with a comfortable lead over his pursuers. After having managed the end of the race perfectly, the Spanish C3 R5 driver won the 43rd Islas Canarias Rally, ahead of Chris Ingram (Skoda Fabia R5) by 28.5s and Lukasz Habaj by 39.9.