The FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) has arrived in the Canary Islands for the first time in its history, with the fourth round of the 2025 season set to take place on the dramatic and winding roads of Gran Canaria.
Welsh driver Elfyn Evans, competing with Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT, enters the event as the championship leader and the man to beat, having delivered an impressive start to the season.
Evans has not finished lower than second in the opening three rounds, Monte Carlo, Sweden, and Kenya, and now holds a 36-point lead over reigning world champion Thierry Neuville. The Welshman is keen to extend his winning streak and maintain his momentum on the technical tarmac stages of the Canary Islands Rally-Rally of Spain.
Close on his heels are Neuville and fellow Hyundai Mobis Shell WRT teammate Ott Tänak, currently second and third in the standings. Both are still looking for their first victory of the season and will aim to not only close the gap to Evans but also reduce Toyota’s lead in the manufacturers’ standings, with the Japanese team having claimed victory in every round so far this year.
Neuville, who previously competed in the Canary Islands in 2010 and 2011, is hoping to build on his recent third-place finish in Kenya and finally climb to the top step of the podium in 2025. The Hyundai line-up is strengthened by Frenchman Adrien Fourmaux, winner of the 2020 edition of the event (then part of the ERC), who brings valuable experience as the rally makes its WRC debut.
A major draw for spectators is the return of eight-time world champion Sébastien Ogier. The Frenchman, who last drove competitively in Monte Carlo, returns to the Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 cockpit with ambitions of adding a new victory to his storied career, on a rally he has never contested before. His presence could prove pivotal in the manufacturers' title race.
Meanwhile, Toyota teammate Kalle Rovanperä is under pressure to deliver a strong result. The two-time world champion has struggled to recapture the dominance of his 2022 and 2023 seasons, despite boasting the most individual wins so far in 2024. The young Finn, who returned to a full-time programme this season, is looking to turn his fortunes around in Gran Canaria.
Also representing Toyota are Japanese driver Takamoto Katsuta, who is not eligible to score manufacturers’ points, and rising star Sami Pajari. The young Finn impressed in Thursday’s shakedown sessions and will be aiming to fight for a podium finish.
The M-Sport Ford team, still adapting to the Ford Puma Rally1, is represented by Grégoire Munster and Joshua McErlean. Both drivers are hoping to make the most of their knowledge of the terrain and bring some much-needed momentum to the British squad after a challenging start to the season.
In the WRC2 category, the battle is expected to be equally fierce. Russian driver Nikolay Gryazin, Swede Oliver Solberg, who is not eligible for points in this event, and Frenchman Yohan Rossel are among the favourites. Spanish hopes rest on the shoulders of Alejandro Cachón, who came close to an outright win earlier this year.
The ceremonial start took place last night in the iconic Plaza de Santa Ana in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, setting the stage for a competitive weekend. Action begins today, Friday, with three stages: Valsequillo-Telde (26.32 km), Valleseco-Artenara (15.27 km), and La Aldea-Mogán (17.83 km), each to be run twice.
Saturday’s itinerary includes the challenging Moya-Gáldar (24.09 km), Arucas-Firgas-Teror (13.75 km), Tejeda-San Mateo (23.30 km), and a short spectator stage through the streets of Las Palmas (1.80 km), all also run in double passes.
The rally will conclude on Sunday with the Agüimes-Santa Lucía (14.97 km) and Maspalomas Wolf Power Stage (13.47 km), again both run twice, before finishing with the Costa Canaria stage (1.50 km), set entirely within the Gran Karting Club of Maspalomas.
This highly anticipated event not only marks a historic moment for the Canary Islands but also promises to be a decisive round in the 2025 WRC season.
