ERC
Drivers powered by ERC Canarias knowledge in island action
Rally Islas Canarias - Rally of Spain is hosting the FIA World Rally Championship for the first time this weekend.
While it was a previously untried event for many, several drivers who lined up for the start of the asphalt counter on Thursday evening did so with prior event knowledge to call on gained from competing in the FIA European Rally Championship. Here’s a reminder of just some of them.
Alejandro Cachón (bottom): Completed the ERC podium in 2024 with a charging recovery drive. He’d led before a damaged tyre dropped him back.
Roberto Daprà: Eighth in Junior ERC on his event debut in 2022, mechanical failure stopped him in his tracks 12 months later.
Adrien Fourmaux (top): Won Rally Islas Canarias at his first attempt in 2020 when the event, held in mixed weather conditions, formed the ERC season decider.
Mathieu Franceschi: Battled Yoann Bonato for the overall Rally Islas Canarias victory in 2024, missing out by 2.8sec.
Nikolay Gryazin: Second place overall and victory in Junior ERC for Rally2 cars in 2018 marked Gryazin’s best Rally Islas Canarias result to date.
Efrén Llarena (below): Rally Islas Canarias was initially tough to crack for Llarena, but a run of three podiums between and 2021 and 2023 changed that.
Efrén Llarena has three ERC Rally Islas Canarias podiums to his name
© ERC
Grégoire Munster: Started Rally Islas Canarias twice in the past. In 2019 he finished in Junior ERC before trying – but just coming up short – to claim the Rally2-based Junior ERC title in 2020.
Sami Pajari: Finished runner-up in Junior ERC on Rally Islas Canarias in 2021.
Oliver Solberg: Claimed title gold in the Rally2-based Junior ERC division on Rally Islas Canarias in 2020.
Igor Widłak: His ERC3 victory on Rally Islas Canarias in 2022 was the first of his title-winning campaign in the Rally3-based category. He was a class winner again on his return in 2024.
Alejandro Cachón completed the 2024 Rally Islas Canarias podium
© ERC
Other drivers in action on Rally Islas Canarias this season who contested the event when when it formed part of the ERC schedule include Philip Allen, Jan Černý, Yohan Rossel, Diego Ruiloba and Rachele Somaschini.
