Toyota’s Commanding Performance
At the 2025 Rally Islas Canarias, Kalle Rovanperä showcased an impressive display of dominance, clinching victory by a noteworthy 53.5 seconds ahead of his nearest rival, Sébastien Ogier. The Finnish driver triumphed in 14 out of the 18 stages, reinforcing Toyota’s stronghold with Elfyn Evans and Takamoto Katsuta securing a clean sweep of the podium places—Toyota’s remarkable ability to establish a significant gap over the competition was evident. Evans concluded the rally in an admirable position, while Katsuta finished closely behind, underscoring the extent of Toyota’s advantage. A potential four or even five-car sweep for the Japanese manufacturer was narrowly thwarted by Sami Pajari’s crash on stage 12.
Hyundai’s Struggles
In stark contrast, Hyundai faced a series of woes attributed to pre-sealed components ill-matched for the smooth, demanding Canarian asphalt, leaving their drivers unable to keep pace with the harried Toyotas. Over the course of Saturday and Sunday, the team effectively turned the event into a test session, striving to remedy their tarmac conundrum. Thierry Neuville emerged as the sole Hyundai driver challenging the Toyotas, only to be hindered by a puncture on the penultimate stage, which relegated him from sixth to seventh overall. Ott Tänak, following an engine change on the Saturday evening, managed to finish sixth but described the weekend as his team’s most challenging thus far. Meanwhile, Adrien Fourmaux, despite facing his own issues with setup, claimed fifth—making him the top finisher for Hyundai.
The rally was rife with incidents, not least with Pajari’s crash marking the end of his campaign, while Josh McErlean’s Ford Puma became the only car to retire, crashing at the beginning of Sunday’s stages. The changing grip conditions and high temperatures played havoc with tyre wear, leading to a tumultuous weekend for many. In the face of adversity, Neuville managed to salvage a couple points from the Power Stage, providing a glimmer of hope amid Hyundai’s struggles.
