The Canary Islands Rally will return Spain to the World Rally Championship next season in a two-year agreement confirmed by WRC Promoter on Monday.
Next year’s rally will run on Gran Canaria in the same fast asphalt format which has made the island event a popular round of the European Rally Championship since 2016. The 2026 edition, which marks the 50th running of Rally Islas Canarias, will include action on more than just the one island in the Atlantic archipelago.
Spain’s last world championship qualifier was the 2022 Salou-based event.
Germán Morales, CEO of the event promoter Club Deportivo Todo Sport, said Monday’s announcement was the realisation of the organiser’s ambition.
The event will step-up from ERC to WRC level from next year
“Bringing the Rally Islas Canarias to the WRC has been the reward for many years of work,” said Morales “It was a goal desired by several generations, and now, together with WRC Promoter, it has become within reach.”
The Spanish island is the latest event to make the switch from ERC to WRC, following Latvia and Poland this season.
WRC Promoter managing director Jona Siebel added: “Since adding the European Rally Championship to our portfolio of championships, we have been left with little doubts about the capabilities of the rally management team to run this rally next year on the WRC calendar.
“We are enthusiastic about having Spain back on the WRC calendar and are encouraged to see our clearly defined strategy to have an opportunity for ERC events to have a pathway to WRC coming to fruition for Rally Islas Canarias.”
Next year’s WRC calendar is getting increasingly busy, with the Canary Islands Rally confirmed – subject to a rubberstamp from World Motor Sport Council – and Saudi Arabia, Ireland and Paraguay also being talked about.
