Lindholm Loses Time After Puncture in Canarias WRC2

WRC, Sportrik Media - Emil Lindholm suffered a major setback in the WRC2 category at Rally Islas Canarias 2026 after a puncture disrupted his strong start on Friday.

The Finnish driver, competing for Skoda Motorsport, had led the class after five special stages before losing around one minute due to a right-rear puncture during the afternoon loop.

Lindholm took full responsibility for the incident, explaining that an overly aggressive approach into a tight left-hand corner caused contact with the roadside barrier.

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“It was my mistake. I went too aggressively into a tight left, and on exit the right-rear hit the barrier,” Lindholm stated.

He acknowledged that the puncture was avoidable but emphasised that the team remains focused on recovery over the remaining stages.

“I know exactly what caused it and it could have been avoided. But we won’t give up and will continue with a good rhythm over the next two days,” he added.

The smooth asphalt roads of Gran Canaria, which resemble circuit-style conditions, make it particularly difficult to recover lost time. Despite this, Lindholm managed to regain some positions during the final stages of the day.

By the end of Friday, he was classified 13th in WRC2, trailing class leader Yohan Rossel by 1 minute and 20.5 seconds.

Without the puncture, Lindholm would likely have been in contention for a top-three finish, given his competitive pace throughout the day.

A key positive from his performance is that he was the fastest Skoda driver when excluding the stage affected by the puncture, underlining his underlying speed on asphalt.

“That’s the most positive thing from today. When we had the puncture, we dropped to the bottom of the times, but if we can maintain similar pace going forward, we can still achieve a strong result. We will keep improving,” Lindholm concluded.

The rally continues on Saturday with six further special stages across Gran Canaria, offering Lindholm an opportunity to reduce the deficit and re-enter the fight for higher positions in the WRC2 standings.