Rally, Sportrik Media - Elfyn Evans of Toyota Gazoo Racing delivered the fastest time on SS9 of Rally Canary Islands 2026, moving ahead of teammate Sami Pajari to reclaim a podium position in the overall classification.
The Maspalomas 1 stage, characterized by high-speed asphalt sections, marked a turning point in Evans’ weekend. It was his first stage win of the rally, and it played a decisive role in reshaping the competitive order. The result elevated Evans to third overall, reducing the gap to rally leader Sebastien Ogier, who continues to lead the event for Toyota.
Evans highlighted the importance of prior experience on the stage, having competed there in the previous edition. That familiarity allowed him to commit more confidently through high-speed sections, although he acknowledged that there were still areas for improvement.
“The stage is very fast, so having a reference from last year helps a bit. It was quite a committed run, but I wasn’t completely satisfied with the speed in certain places,” Evans explained.
Pajari, meanwhile, dropped to fourth overall after losing four seconds to Evans on the stage. Despite the position change, the time gap remains narrow, with the Finnish driver only 3.5 seconds away from a podium position, keeping the intra-team battle highly competitive.
“It felt quite good, but not perfect. It’s difficult to beat Elfyn here because he drove this stage last year and we didn’t. That makes it more challenging,” Pajari stated.
Toyota continues to dominate the rally, holding all top five positions. In addition to Ogier and Evans, Oliver Solberg also improved his pace, briefly outperforming Ogier on the stage while maintaining second overall. Pajari and Takamoto Katsuta complete the top five, reinforcing Toyota’s control of the event.
Within Hyundai Motorsport, Adrien Fourmaux moved ahead of Dani Sordo, although both remain significantly behind the leaders. Thierry Neuville also remains outside the top five, underlining Hyundai’s performance deficit on the fast asphalt stages.
With five stages remaining on Saturday, the fight for podium positions remains open. Evans is now strategically positioned to challenge the front runners, while Pajari will need to respond quickly to regain lost ground before the rally reaches its decisive final day on Sunday.
Overall Classification – WRC Canary Islands 2026 (After SS9/18)
| Pos | Driver | Car | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sebastien Ogier | Toyota | 1:01:11.5 |
| 2 | Oliver Solberg | Toyota | +7.3 |
| 3 | Elfyn Evans | Toyota | +14.7 |
| 4 | Sami Pajari | Toyota | +18.2 |
| 5 | Takamoto Katsuta | Toyota | +30.8 |
| 6 | Adrien Fourmaux | Hyundai | +59.3 |
| 7 | Dani Sordo | Hyundai | +1:05.3 |
| 8 | Thierry Neuville | Hyundai | +1:09.3 |
| 9 | Josh McErlean | Ford | +1:55.8 |
| 10 | Jon Armstrong | Ford | +2:20.6 |
The SS9 result reinforces Evans’ improving pace and intensifies the intra-team competition at Toyota. With consistently high-speed conditions, tyre management and precision will remain critical factors in determining the final outcome of Rally Canary Islands 2026.
Read Also
Oliver Solberg edges SS11 win at WRC Canary Islands 2026, but Sebastien Ogier retains overall lead amid slippery stage conditions.
Elfyn Evans sets fastest time on SS10 WRC Canary Islands 2026 as rain disrupts conditions, while Sami Pajari loses significant time in standings.
Dani Sordo leads Hyundai effort in WRC Canary Islands 2026 but trails Sebastien Ogier as Toyota dominates the rally standings after day one.
Continue with Google
Discussion (0)
Join the Discussion!
Sign in easily to start commenting, replying, and interacting with other readers.
Latest Comments
No comments yet. Be the first!