The Tenerife duo from the Copi Sport team has achieved their fourth consecutive victory in the Canary Islands Asphalt Rally Championship after winning the 12th edition of the Rally Ciudad de La Laguna.
Tenerife's Enrique Cruz and Yeray Mujica, at the wheel of their Toyota Yaris from the Copi Sport team, have secured a nail-biting victory in the 12th Rally Ciudad de La Laguna, held this Saturday on the roads of northern Tenerife. The Canary duo thus adds their fourth consecutive triumph in the Regional Asphalt Rally Championship, putting them one step away from the title.
The event, organised by the Escudería Tinerfeña, kicked off on Friday with two timed stages: Valle Guerra-El Boquerón and Tejina-El Socorro. After the first specials, the gap between Cruz-Mujica and the Russian team from Skoda Canarias was just 0.4 seconds, a minimal margin that foreshadowed an intense battle.
In the first run on Saturday through the Valle Guerra stage, the Russians managed to gain 4.4 seconds on the Tenerife duo, extending their lead to 4.8 seconds overall. However, the race took an unexpected turn on the second run through Tegueste, where Cruz and Mujica suffered a puncture that cost them 52.9 seconds. This setback relegated them to second place, with a 55.7-second deficit to the leaders.
Decisive punctures that changed the course
Luck struck just one stage later, in the seventh timed stage of Valle Guerra. The Skoda Canarias team also suffered a puncture that made them lose 1 minute and 1.3 seconds, which returned Cruz and Mujica to the top of the standings with a 5.6-second lead. The Tenerife duo seized the opportunity and set the best times in the final two specials, certifying a victory that seemed lost.
“It has been a crazy race, with a lot of tension. The punctures were key, but we managed to stay calm and take advantage of the opportunity when it came,” declared Enrique Cruz at the end of the event. His co-driver, Yeray Mujica, highlighted the competitiveness of the season: “Every rally is a battle to the second, and this has been the closest of them all.”
The victory in La Laguna solidifies the Tenerife duo as the most in-form team in the championship, with four consecutive wins bringing them closer to the regional title. With only two events left to contest, the lead in the overall standings is already considerable, although the Copi Sport team prefers to take it step by step.
The local crowd witnesses a thrilling spectacle
The Rally Ciudad de La Laguna, which this year celebrated its twelfth edition, attracted hundreds of fans along the stages. The atmosphere in the streets of La Laguna and the northern towns was exceptional, with numerous supporters cheering on the local drivers. The organisation highlighted the involvement of the locals and the coordination with the municipalities of La Laguna, Tegueste, and Valle Guerra to ensure safety.
For motor enthusiasts in Tenerife, the rally provided a unique opportunity to see the best asphalt specialists in action. The next championship event will be the Rally Villa de Adeje, where Cruz and Mujica could secure the title if they maintain their streak. Meanwhile, the Tenerife fans are already celebrating another local success in regional motorsport.
The 12th Rally Ciudad de La Laguna concludes with a bittersweet taste for the rivals, but with the certainty that Canary motorsport is experiencing one of its sweetest moments. The next edition, in 2027, promises new thrills on the roads of La Laguna.
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