Lancia Corse targets Rally Islas Canarias to consolidate WRC2 championship lead

• Following victory for Rossel–Dunand and third place for Gryazin–Aleksandrov at Rally Croatia, Lancia Corse HF aims to deliver another strong result in Spain
• Over 300 kilometres across 18 special stages on the volcanic island hosting the 50th edition of Rally Islas Canarias
• Abrasive asphalt and dramatic elevation changes will challenge the Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale
• Spectacular SSS1 inside Gran Canaria stadium set to deliver high-adrenaline action in front of thousands of fans
   

Lancia Corse HF returns to FIA World Rally Championship WRC2 action just two weeks after its success at Rally Croatia, heading to the 50th Rally Islas Canarias – Rally of Spain, scheduled from 23 to 26 April on the island of Gran Canaria.

From the twisty Adriatic coastal roads, the championship now moves to the volcanic asphalt of the Atlantic island, where stages alternate between fast coastal sections and demanding climbs and descents around volcanic craters. More than 300 kilometres of special stages await the WRC2-leading team, fielding two Lancia Ypsilon Rally2 HF Integrale cars for Yohan Rossel, co-driven by Arnaud Dunand, and Nikolay Gryazin with Konstantin Aleksandrov.

Unpredictable weather has always been a defining feature of the event, historically known as the “Circuit of the Atlantic.” Lancia enjoyed notable success here in the early 1990s, claiming victories in 1991, 1992 and 1993 with the Delta Integrale HF in the European Championship. Fog and rain at altitudes above 1,500 metres, combined with warm sunshine typical of the Canary Islands off the Moroccan coast, will add another layer of complexity alongside the abrasive surface.

Elevation changes will also play a key role in the fifth round of the WRC season. Stages such as SS3/6 Tejeda – San Mateo climb from 1,500 to 1,723 metres before descending to 845 metres, featuring an elevation change of 878 metres. Similarly, SS15/17 Ingenio – Telde – Valsequillo rises from 574 metres to 1,295 metres, drops to 401 metres above sea level, and climbs again to 600 metres at the finish—an 893-metre variation over 25.9 kilometres.

Challenging figures that promise both spectacle and adrenaline for the Lancia Corse HF crews, who are already familiar with the roads of Gran Canaria. Both Rossel and Gryazin were key contenders in last year’s inaugural WRC edition of the rally, with the 31-year-old Frenchman securing victory in WRC2 and the 28-year-old Bulgarian finishing third.

The Rally Islas Canarias – Rally of Spain gets underway on Thursday 23 April with the SSS1 BP Ultimate – Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, held inside the city’s stadium in front of thousands of spectators.

Friday 24 April features seven special stages covering 108.79 kilometres, with the Valleseco – Artenara (13.13 km), Tejeda – San Mateo (18.62 km) and Mogán – La Aldea (21.7 km) loop run twice, before returning to Las Palmas for a second super special stage.

Saturday 25 April includes six stages totalling 112.22 kilometres, across the Maspalomas (13.47 km), Arucas – Firgas – Teror (13.74 km) and the long Moya – Gáldar (28.9 km), all repeated twice.

The rally concludes on Sunday with four stages over 78.4 kilometres, featuring two runs of the Ingenio – Telde – Valsequillo (25.93 km) and Santa Lucía – Agüimes (13.27 km), the latter serving as the Wolf Power Stage to close the event.

Didier Clément – Team Principal, Lancia Corse HF
“The Croatia Rally has just wrapped up with an incredible result for the Lancia Ypsilon Rally 2 HF crews, marking the car’s first victory in the World Rally Championship, and we’re already almost at the starting line of the Canary Islands Rally. Although it is also held on asphalt, this rally stands out for its more “circuit-style” road profile, which demands different qualities from the car. Set on a volcanic island rising to nearly 2,000 meters in altitude, the weather also always plays a significant role. We have prepared well for this rally with a preliminary test session in Spain, and our crews—Yohan Rossel and Arnaud Dunand, as well as Nikolay Gryazin and Konstantin Aleksandrov—already have experience with this rally. We are therefore approaching this event with confidence but also with all due respect for the very high-level competitors competing in this Rally 2 category. We are proud to have been able to fly the Lancia colors in the world championship for their return!”

Media contact
Lancia:
Simona Magnarelli +39 366 6729414
simona.magnarelli@stellantis.com 

Team Lancia Corse HF / Stellantis Motorsport:
Mathilde Ponceau +33 6 58 81 43 01
mathilde.ponceau@external.stellantis.com

Lancia
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Turin, 22 April 2026