Gran Canaria beckons for the World Rally Championship, as the globe’s best rally drivers embark on a new adventure for world rallying.
Rally Islas Canarias’ history dates back to 1977, but 2025 is the first time the island event has featured on the WRC calendar – making this week a journey into the unknown for most.
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the event:
Entry list
Total 62 crews
10 Rally1
33 WRC2
8 WRC3
Rally1
Ogier is back - joining the full-season regulars in the Rally1 field
The big news in the headline Rally1 field is the return of Sébastien Ogier – who makes his first WRC start since January’s Monte Carlo Rally.
As the only driver yet to beat his Toyota team-mate Elfyn Evans at an event this season, Ogier lines up fourth on the road behind the championship-leading Evans and Hyundai’s two world champions: Thierry Neuville and Ott Tänak.
Hyundai’s third car, Adrien Fourmaux – a former winner of Rally Islas Canarias back in 2020 – is fifth ahead of the remaining three of five Toyotas: Kalle Rovanperä, Takamoto Katsuta (non manufacturer points registered) and Sami Pajari.
The M-Sport Fords of Grégoire Munster and Josh McErlean complete the lineup.
WRC2
Yohan Rossel is the highest seeded WRC2 contender - the first of 33 drivers
Comfortably the best WRC2 entry of the season, 38 Rally2 cars have been attracted to Rally Islas Canarias with 34 (89.5%) registered for WRC2 points.
Rossel brothers Yohan and Léo top the entry in their Citroën C3 Rally2s, with Yohan – winner in Monte Carlo – starting as a particular favorite. But his list of challengers are endless.
Nikolay Gryazin (Škoda) underlined his asphalt pace with victory at the ERC season opener, Rally Sierra Morena, and is joined in the Toksport fold by 2022 WRC2 champion Emil Lindholm – the Finn making his first start in a Fabia for two years.
Spain is well represented by Alejandro Cachón (Toyota), Diego Ruiloba (Citroën), 2022 ERC champion Efrén Llarena (Citroën) and Canaries local Luis Monzón (Citroën) to name a few, while others to watch include Toyota duo Mathieu Franceschi and Fabio Schwarz who both start their first ever WRC2 campaigns this week.
Reigning Junior WRC champion Romet Jürgenson is the sole Ford Fiesta Rally2 runner, but arrives in form after securing his first ever overall victory at the British Rally Championship’s Carlisle Stages. Other names in action including Jan Černý (Citroën), Roberto Daprà (Škoda) and Toyota Next Generation driver Yuki Yamamoto.
Yeray Lemes was due to compete, but was forced to withdraw after that accident into a house two weeks ago.
Solberg will be in action but not scoring championship points
Oliver Solberg, and Estonian pair Robert Virves and Georg Linnamäe, are among those entered but not competing for championship points.
WRC3
Eight drivers will vie for WRC3 honors, topped by Arthur Pelamourgues who topped the category back in Monte Carlo.
The Frenchman is one of five relying on Renault’s Clio Rally3, including Toyota Next Generation duo Takumi Matsushita and Shotaro Goto as well as Mattéo Chatillon.
Ghjuvanni Rossi is the highest seeded Ford Fiesta Rally3 runner, with former Junior WRC driver Nataniel Bruun also steering one.
Itinerary
For its WRC debut, the Rally Islas Canarias organizer has packed in 18 stages covering 187 miles across the length and breadth of the island.
With the event traditionally held mostly to the north of the 602 mi² island, La Aldea – Mogán is a brand-new test to the west – running as the third stage on Friday after Valsequillo – Telde and Velleseco – Artenara.
Saturday’s stages are generally to the north, with Sunday’s action contained in the south of the island – including the 0.9-mile Costa Canaria test staged at a karting track right on the coastline.
The novel Las Palmas de Gran Canaria stage, that includes a loop inside the Gran Canaria Arena basketball court, is also back. For the last couple of years it has opened the ERC event but concludes Saturday’s leg in 2025.
