Fuerteventura driver Javier Sosa claims his first Peugeot Challenge win in Lanzarote

Fuerteventura driver Javier Sosa and co-driver Carlos Fragiel claimed their first Peugeot Challenge victory this weekend, winning the Rally Isla de Los Volcanes in Lanzarote. The event counted towards the S-CER (Spanish Rally Super Championship) for the first time.

The rally marked the Peugeot Challenge’s return to the Canary Islands after 17 years, with island crews to the fore. Sosa and Fragiel dominated in their Peugeot 208 Rally4, finishing 54.3 seconds ahead of Lanzarote drivers Javier Cañada and Aday Ortiz.

Francisco Puertas and Sergio Fernández took third, 1:15.5 behind the winners.

Sosa takes the lead from the opening stage

Javier Sosa and Carlos Fragiel drew on their previous experience of the Rally Isla de Los Volcanes stages to move to the top of the standings from the outset.

The Fuerteventura crew posted the fastest times on two stages on the first day and then maintained a strong pace, holding on to the lead stage by stage ahead of Cañada and Ortiz.

The latter, recent winners of the Rally Rías Baixas, tried to close the gap on the second day and won the TC Plus by just nine tenths of a second over Sosa and Fragiel.

However, a puncture suffered by the Lanzarote crew at the start of the final section cost them 32.2 seconds, ultimately securing victory for the Fuerteventura driver.

Sosa and Fragiel, who joined the Peugeot Challenge this season with the ONE Racing team, thus recorded their first win in the national one-make series.

Javier Cañada takes the lead in the Peugeot Challenge

Although the Fuerteventura crew won the rally, Javier Cañada’s second place put him at the top of the overall Peugeot Challenge 2026 standings.

The Lanzarote driver now has 84.60 points, ahead of Miguel García, who is second on 81.40 after a puncture in the opening stages of the Rally Isla de Los Volcanes hampered his chances.

Francisco Puertas is third in the championship on 73.40 points, while Javier Sosa has climbed to fifth on 40.40.

The title race is therefore still wide open going into the final event of the season.

The title will be decided in Llanes

The Peugeot Challenge will conclude on 25 and 26 September at the asphalt Rally Villa de Llanes.

Cañada will arrive as the leader, with Miguel García and Francisco Puertas still in contention for the championship.

Javier Sosa, meanwhile, will head to the event in Asturias after recording the best result of his first season in the series in Lanzarote.

Rally Isla de Los Volcanes standings