WRC
Ogier: Consistency remains ‘winning recipe’ after Canarias fight
Sébastien Ogier says his Rally Islas Canarias victory was built on composure and consistency after coming through one of the closest fights of the 2026 FIA World Rally Championship season so far.
The nine-time world champion claimed his first win of the year on Sunday after a tense battle with Toyota Gazoo Racing team-mate Oliver Solberg, who crashed out of second place on the penultimate stage while chasing Ogier for the lead.
Ogier admitted the finish would have been more satisfying had the fight gone all the way to the Wolf Power Stage, but said his own performance across the weekend had followed a familiar winning formula.
“Like any victory, any victory is satisfying,” said Ogier. “But one after such an intense weekend and such a tough fight is always that extra bit more enjoyable.
“It would have been better if the fight had gone to the end, but unfortunately the tough part of our sport is that things can change very quickly. On our side, we can be happy with the job done this weekend.
Solberg's rally came to an abrupt end on SS17
© Andy Craig
“A very strong rhythm the whole time, very strong consistency, and still a very good recipe to win rallies.”
Ogier’s win came on a weekend dominated by Toyota, which locked out the top four positions with Ogier, Elfyn Evans, Sami Pajari and Takamoto Katsuta. The Frenchman said the balance of the GR Yaris Rally1 was a decisive factor on Gran Canaria’s fast, smooth and high-grip asphalt roads.
“I think the chassis basically makes the difference here, that’s clear,” he explained. “The engine, I think, is not so much of a difference between our competitors and us, but our car has a perfect balance and gives us good confidence to drive and push the limit on roads like this, where you need to be super precise and very committed.”
Solberg had cut Ogier’s lead to just 2.2sec on Sunday morning before his rally ended against an armco barrier on SS17. Ogier, though, insisted he had not allowed the pressure to alter his approach.
“It was super enjoyable,” he said of the fight. “It’s never really my approach to go for full risk.
“I think I never panicked, like I always do. I tried to focus on myself, focus on being as clean as possible and keeping this strong rhythm, because the rhythm was strong. We were quite ahead of Elfyn, who is not the first guy coming on Tarmac, so it means the rhythm we were going with Oliver was very strong.
“On this last loop, even before he crashed, I was having the rhythm I needed to try to keep the advantage I needed for the win.”
Ogier also praised Solberg’s speed, saying the 24-year-old’s raw pace was never in doubt.
© Red Bull Content Pool
“The speed since the first Rally1 rallies is not the question,” said Ogier. “There’s a bit more argument about the consistency so far, but at the end of the day it’s a better problem to have than the opposite.
“Having that kind of speed, not so many drivers have this capability, so that’s a very positive point for him. He’s still very young, so I’m sure we will be fighting more in the future.”
Ogier’s focus now turns to Vodafone Rally de Portugal, a rally where he has traditionally enjoyed strong form.
“It’s always a rally I enjoy,” he added. “It’s always a pleasure coming back. It’s a special place for me, so obviously the target will be to try to carry on the great run we have there.”
