TOYOTA Gazoo Racing Dominates Rally Islas Canarias With Historic 1-2-3-4 Finish
Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally Team delivered a commanding performance at the Rally Islas Canarias, securing an emphatic 1-2-3-4 finish and reinforcing its dominance in the FIA World Rally Championship.
Leading the charge, Sébastien Ogier and co-driver Vincent Landais clinched victory in the Toyota GR YARIS Rally1 after a tightly contested intra-team battle. Teammates Elfyn Evans and Scott Martin secured second place, followed by Sami Pajari and Marko Salminen in third. Takamoto Katsuta and Aaron Johnston completed the clean sweep in fourth.
Unmatched Performance Across All Stages
The Toyota GR YARIS Rally1 proved unstoppable on the asphalt roads of Gran Canaria, winning all 17 stages of the rally. This marks the team’s third full podium lockout in five rounds this season and pushes its total to 302 podium finishes in WRC history.
Despite the dominant result, the battle at the front remained intense, with Ogier maintaining a narrow lead throughout before ultimately finishing 19.9 seconds ahead of Evans.
Championship Lead Strengthened
With this result, Toyota secured 59 out of a possible 60 manufacturer points, extending its championship lead to 98 points. Evans’ strong finish, including victories in the Power Stage and Super Sunday classification, propelled him to the top of the drivers’ standings.
Meanwhile, Pajari continued his impressive consistency with a fourth consecutive podium, while Katsuta remained firmly in the title fight after finishing close behind in fourth.
Team Spirit and Experience Shine
Akio Toyoda, Chairman of the team, praised both the performance and the collaborative spirit within the squad, highlighting how experienced drivers like Ogier continue to mentor emerging talent.
He emphasised that the victory was a result of the “overall strength of the entire team,” underlining the synergy between drivers, engineers, and support crews.
Looking Ahead to Rally de Portugal
The championship now moves to the Rally de Portugal (May 7–10), where teams will face challenging gravel stages near Porto. The event is expected to test durability, tyre management, and consistency across rugged terrain.
With momentum firmly on its side, Toyota heads into the next round as the clear frontrunner in both the manufacturers’ and drivers’ championships.
