WRC
Golden anniversary route set for 2026 Rally Islas Canarias
The 50th edition of Rally Islas Canarias will feature an 18-stage, 322.21km asphalt route when the FIA World Rally Championship returns to Gran Canaria later this season.
Unveiled last week, the 2026 itinerary blends historic nods with fresh challenges as the Spanish island prepares to celebrate a half-century of competition. The event made its WRC debut in 2025 and quickly established itself as one of the championship’s purest all-asphalt tests.
Crews will tackle four days of action, beginning with Thursday afternoon’s 6.26km Santa Brígida shakedown. Competitive mileage follows shortly afterwards with the newly introduced 2.27km BP Ultimate - Circuito Islas Canarias stage, set at a recently resurfaced venue deeply rooted in the island’s motorsport history.
Friday shifts the focus to the mountains, with organisers routing the action through La Aldea, Mogán, Tejeda and San Mateo. Three tests form the backbone of the leg: Valleseco - Artenara (15.27km), La Aldea - Mogán (21.42km) and Tejeda - San Mateo (26.05km). Smooth but abrasive volcanic asphalt, combined with dramatic elevation changes, will place a premium on precision and tyre management.
© WRC
Saturday delivers the longest stage of the rally with the 28.90km Moya - Gáldar test. Maspalomas (13.47km) and Arucas - Firgas - Teror (13.74km) complete the daytime loop before the rally heads back to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. In a nod to ceremonies from the event’s early years, cars will regroup on Avenida de José Mesa y López before contesting the 3.12km BP Ultimate - Las Palmas de Gran Canaria stage around Santa Catalina Park.
Sunday’s finale has been revised from 2025 and introduces two tests new to WRC crews. Ingenio - Valsequillo (26.49km) opens the leg before Santa Lucía - Agüimes (13.27km) concludes the rally as the Wolf Power Stage.
First run in 1977 as Rally El Corte Inglés, the event built its reputation in the FIA European Rally Championship before stepping up to the WRC last year. Its debut delivered a statement performance from Kalle Rovanperä, who led a dominant Toyota 1-2-3-4 result for Toyota Gazoo Racing on the island’s flowing asphalt.
