Rally Islas Canarias: Škoda crews well prepared for the WRC’s newest tarmac challenge

› For the first time, the Gran Canaria based event is part of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) and the WRC2 calendar
› At the WRC’s fourth round, former WRC2 champions Emil Lindholm/Reeta Hämäläinen make a return to Škoda customer team Toksport WRT
› Nikolay Gryazin and co-driver Konstantin Aleksandrov (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2) travel to Las Palmas on the back of a victory in the FIA European Rally Championship
› Estonian youngster Robert Virves and navigator Jakko Viilo (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2) want to expand their experience with asphalt stages

Mladá Boleslav, 23 April 2025 – The FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) visits the Canary Islands for the very first time. Rally Islas Canarias (24-27 April) makes its debut as the fourth round of the 2025 season. The asphalt event is based in Las Palmas, capital of Gran Canaria. The entry list features 34 crews in the WRC2 category, including the 2022 champions Emil Lindholm/Reeta Hämäläinen (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2).

Three seasons ago, Emil Lindholm and co-driver Reeta Hämäläinen drove to the WRC2 title with a Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo of team Toksport WRT. They finished their stint with the team in 2023 with a third WRC2 position at Rally Croatia with a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2. At the Rally Islas Canarias, the Finns will be reunited with the rally car from Mladá Boleslav. “It feels like coming home. I am happy to drive the Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 again,” Lindholm says, who aims to restart his success story with Škoda.

His teammates Nikolay Gryazin and Konstantin Aleksandrov had a perfect rehearsal: Sharing a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, the pairing won the opening round of the 2025 FIA European Rally Championship, the all-tarmac Rally Sierra Morena on the Spanish mainland. “I know how well the Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 performs on asphalt. I cannot wait to face the challenge of the smooth roads and the tough competition of Rally Islas Canarias,” Gryazin looks ahead to the start of his WRC2 campaign.

14 crews among the 34 entries into WRC2 rely on the Rally2 version of the Škoda Fabia, among them the Italian duo Roberto Daprà/Luca Guglielmetti (Delta Rally Team), who also compete for points of the WRC2 Challenger classification. The honorary prize for the longest journey to the Canary Islands goes to Osamu Fukunaga/Misako Saida, who bring their Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 from Japan.

Not nominated to score WRC2 points are 24-year-old Robert Virves and co-driver Jakko Viilo. Yet, the Estonians, who share a RaceSeven Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, are looking to sharpen their tarmac skills before chasing WRC2 points on the upcoming gravel events.

The highest-placed Škoda drivers of the WRC2 overall standings, Englishman Gus Greensmith and Fabrizio Zaldivar from Paraguay, are skipping the Rally Islas Canarias. The WRC newcomer event is not part of their programme, which is limited by the regulations to seven points-scoring events.

The world championship edition of Rally Islas Canarias offers 18 asphalt stages with a total length of 301.30 kilometres. While the service park is located at the Gran Canaria Stadium, the ceremonial start will take place in the centre of Las Palmas on Thursday (24 April). Friday's leg consists of six special stages (118.84 kilometres), followed by seven special stages (124.08 kilometres) on Saturday. After a further five stages (58.38 km) on Sunday, the crews are expected to arrive at the Parque del Sur in Maspalomas for the podium ceremony at around 13h35 (12h35 CEST).

Did you know, that…

. . . the WRC debut is the 49th edition of the Rally Islas Canarias? The event was first run in 1977 and for several years was part of the FIA European Rally Championship (ERC), of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC) and the Spanish championship.
. . . there are three Škoda crews on the winners' list of the rally? When the event was part of the Intercontinental Rally Championship (IRC), Jan Kopecký/Petr Starý won in 2010, Juho Hänninen/Mikko Markkula in 2011 and Jan Kopecký/Pavel Dresler in 2012. Kopecký/Dresler added another victory in 2013 on their way to becoming FIA European Rally Champions.
. . . the stages of Rally Islas Canarias offer a spectacular scenery from volcanic peaks to coastal views?

Standings WRC2/Drivers (after 3 of 14 rallies)
1 Oliver Solberg (SWE), Toyota, 35 points
2 Yohan Rossel (FRA), Citroën, 25 points
3 Gus Greensmith (GBR), Škoda, 25 points
4 Fabrizio Zaldivar (PRG), Škoda, 23 points

2025 FIA World Rally Championship

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