Embark on an Exciting New Adventure with Toyota Gazoo Racing at the Rally Islas Canarias
This week, from April 24 to 27, the Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally Crew is set to tackle new and challenging terrain as Rally Islas Canarias makes its debut as a round of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC). This thrilling event promises to bring excitement and competition to the beautiful island of Gran Canaria, which is located off the north-west coast of Africa.
As the fourth round of the 2025 season, this rally is particularly significant as it marks the first pure asphalt event of the year. Furthermore, it is the first time since 2022 that a round of the WRC will take place on Spanish soil, making it a highly anticipated occasion for fans and competitors alike.
Currently leading the manufacturers’ championship by a remarkable 26 points, TGR-WRT has enjoyed a successful season thus far, clinching victories in the first three rounds of the championship. Their star driver, Elfyn Evans, is at the top of the drivers’ standings with a 36-point lead, thanks in large part to his consecutive wins in both Sweden and Kenya.
This event will also see the return of Sébastien Ogier, who is competing for the first time since his victory at Rallye Monte-Carlo in January. He will be part of a strong lineup featuring five GR Yaris Rally1 vehicles, with Ogier, Evans, and Kalle Rovanperä all nominated to earn valuable manufacturers’ points.
Additionally, Takamoto Katsuta and Sami Pajari will take to the stage, with Pajari representing the TGR-WRT2 team as the only driver among the five who has prior experience at Rally Islas Canarias. This rally has transitioned to the WRC from its previous status as a round of the FIA European Rally Championship, showcasing its elevated significance in the rallying world.
Rally Islas Canarias features winding roads that continuously ascend and descend the island’s mountainous landscape. These roads are often bordered by barriers on one side and rocky cliffs on the other. The abrasive surface, which is partly composed of volcanic rock, is expected to offer high and consistent grip levels, but it also raises concerns about tire wear. Moreover, the island’s unique location means that competitors must be prepared for rapidly changing weather conditions that could impact the rally.
The rally headquarters is situated in Las Palmas, the capital city of Gran Canaria, with the service park conveniently located next to the Gran Canaria Stadium. The stages will take place across various locations on the island. Following a shakedown and ceremonial start on Thursday, the competitive action begins on Friday with a series of stages in the central region of the island, each run twice around the midday service. A similar format will be followed on Saturday, focusing on the northern parts of the island, culminating in a spectacular special stage that runs partly inside a basketball arena. The rally will conclude on Sunday with five stages in the southern region near Maspalomas, which will also host the podium ceremony.
In addition to the GR Yaris Rally1 entries, nine GR Yaris Rally2 cars are registered for the event, including Spanish champion Alejandro Cachón, who is stepping up to WRC2, supported by Toyota Spain and run by Teo Martín Motorsport. Other notable participants in WRC2 include last year’s ERC runner-up Mathieu Franceschi competing for AMD Motorsport, and Fabio Schwarz, the son of former Toyota WRC driver Armin Schwarz.
Other competitors in WRC2 include the TGR WRC Challenge Program duo of Yuki Yamamoto and Hikaru Kogure, along with Diego Domínguez from Teo Martín Motorsport and Spanish racer Carlos Moreno from Raceseven. Series leader Oliver Solberg from Printsport and Georg Linnamäe from RedGrey are also entered but are not registered to score points in this event.
Juha Kankkunen (Deputy Team Principal): “The entire team is eagerly anticipating the new challenges that Rally Islas Canarias presents. Although this rally has not previously been part of the WRC, I have personally driven it six times, with my last experience being a decade ago. Returning to this rally is exciting, as the roads are fantastic and I’m confident our drivers will enjoy them. Most of our team has no prior experience here, but we have a strong lineup, and the team has been preparing diligently. It’s been a solid start to the season, and we hope to maintain that momentum.”
Elfyn Evans (Driver, Car 33): “We’ve had a strong start to the season, but my approach remains unchanged: we aim to perform well and achieve the best possible outcome. The character of the stages is expected to be generally clear and quite twisty. Many of the asphalt rallies in recent years have been more on the dirty side, so we’ve missed the variety that a true racing-style rally like this brings. With minimal cutting, the road position shouldn’t heavily influence the outcome, meaning it should be a fair competition for everyone.”
Kalle Rovanperä (Driver, Car 69): “It’s thrilling to participate in a new asphalt rally that appears quite different from our usual events. From what I’ve observed from the ERC event, it looks like a pleasant rally with stable conditions, which should be enjoyable. However, it will be a challenge to create new pacenotes for this rally. I believe you must be precise everywhere to be competitive. We made significant progress during our test in Spain last week, improving our asphalt performance. After facing a few challenging rallies lately, we are eager to turn things around and finish strong.”
Sébastien Ogier (Driver, Car 17): “There’s always a unique excitement when attending a new rally. It captures the true essence of rallying where no one knows the roads, and you must start from scratch. We will have a demanding reconnaissance phase to familiarize ourselves with the stages, and creating reliable pacenotes will be crucial for success in this rally. It’s a situation that has favored me in the past, and I hope to perform well and contend for top positions. The roads look stunning, but I also recognize that the weather can change quickly on an island in the Atlantic. I’m looking forward to competing on these high-grip, circuit-style stages, and I hope to be in contention for the win.”
Takamoto Katsuta (Driver, Car 18): “From what I’ve learned from my fellow competitors, Rally Islas Canarias is considered one of the finest asphalt rallies, and I’m genuinely looking forward to it. It’s a classic asphalt rally with very little cutting or dirt on the roads, allowing us to fully harness the performance of our car and its aerodynamics. This experience reminds me of my days in circuit racing, which I hope will enhance my performance. At the same time, we have new tires to test, and we will need to assess their performance and adapt as best as we can.”
Sami Pajari (Driver, Car 5): “Transitioning from Kenya to the Canaries represents perhaps the most significant contrast between two rallies in our championship. I participated in this rally four years ago with a Rally4 car and thoroughly enjoyed it; it’s one of the rallies that resembles circuit racing the most. Some stages are wide, fast, and feature a clean surface with minimal cutting. I had a productive test last week in both dry and wet conditions and felt very comfortable behind the wheel. In Kenya, the key was to avoid issues, which played a crucial role in our results; here, I anticipate fewer complications, and I’m hopeful it will be an enjoyable rally for us.”
ENDS
