Enrique Cruz on Brink of Canary Islands Rally Title After La Laguna Victory

The latest Rally Ciudad de La Laguna has set the stage for a thrilling finish to the Canary Islands regional championship. The results in Tenerife have shaken up the standings and put Enrique Cruz, alongside co-driver Yeray Mújica, on the brink of another regional title in their Toyota GR Yaris Rally2.

The race was a high-stakes technical challenge for all involved. By the end of the event, Cruz had extended his lead over Alexey Lukyanuk from just two points to eight. This puts Cruz in a strong position: if he finishes second at the upcoming Rally Isla Bonita, he will mathematically secure the championship. Because the rules only count a driver’s six best results, this would allow him to skip the final two events of the season in Maspalomas and Comarca Norte.

The rally was defined by a back-and-forth battle, with both leaders facing mechanical trouble. Cruz lost significant time to a puncture on the Villa de Tegueste stage, but Lukyanuk suffered a similar setback on the seventh stage, Valle de Guerra, allowing Cruz to reclaim the lead. Cruz’s strong finish, including a win in the Tacoronte-El Rosario TC Plus, helped him walk away with 38 points for the day.

The rest of the field was equally competitive. Sergio Fuentes and Teco Hernández took the final podium spot in their Skoda Fabia RS Rally2, followed by Yeray Lemes and Aitor Cambeiro in fourth. Jorge Rodríguez and Taydía Santana rounded out the top five in their Alpine A110, finishing ahead of Manuel Mesa and Dailos González. In the regularity categories, José Juan Díaz and Rosmen Díaz won the sport class, while Armando Pérez and Evelio Pérez took the low-average category.

The event highlighted how crucial adaptability and tire management are in this championship. As the season enters its final phase, all eyes now turn to the island of La Palma for the decisive Rally Isla Bonita.