The FIA World Rally Championship is set to return to Spain in the upcoming seasons to tackle the high-speed tarmac roads of the Canary Islands in 2025 and 2026. Following in the footsteps of the Rally Latvia and the ORLEN 80th Rally Poland, both of which used the FIA European Rally Championship (ERC) to enhance their events before joining the WRC in 2024, the Rally Islas Canarias will transition from the ERC to the WRC in 2025 and 2026.
First held in 1977, the Rally Islas Canarias has been a consistent part of the ERC since 2016 and will celebrate its 50th edition in 2026. The plan is for the rally to be held exclusively in Gran Canaria in 2025, with an expansion to include other islands for its 50th anniversary. The announcement was made on Monday in front of the press in Gran Canaria, with the presence of the WRC promoter Todo Sport, the President of the Canary Islands Fernando Clavijo, the President of the Insular Council of Gran Canaria Antonio Morales, and the member of the FIA World Motor Sport Council and President of the Spanish Royal Automobile Federation (RFEDA) Manuel Aviñó.
Germán Morales, CEO of the event promoter Club Deportivo Todo Sport, expressed his satisfaction in bringing the Rally Islas Canarias to the WRC after years of hard work. He described it as a goal desired by several generations and now, with the collaboration of the WRC promoter, it has become achievable. Jona Siebel, Managing Director of the WRC promoter, expressed confidence in the rally management team’s ability to organize the rally in the WRC calendar next year, after witnessing their skills in the European Rally Championship.
The return of Spain to the WRC calendar is highly anticipated, and the successful path for ERC events to join the WRC is evident, as the Rally Islas Canarias follows in the footsteps of Latvia and Poland in 2024. The move from ERC to the WRC calendar will also attract a significant number of fans who will travel to the popular European holiday destination, combining exciting action on high-speed stages with the beginning of summer.
The rally guarantees smooth and winding asphalt surfaces that cross the volcanic areas of the interior. While coastal temperatures provide favorable beach weather year-round, drivers must be prepared for unpredictable weather conditions when navigating the mountainous areas of the islands. The WRC last visited Spain in 2022, with the rally being based in the seaside resort of Salou, in Catalonia.
