The Rally Islas Canarias, known originally as the Rally El Corte Inglés, is an international rallying event based on the Spanish island of Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands. The event has been a long running round of the European Rally Championship, the Spanish Rally Championship and the Canary Islands Rally Championship. It has also been a round of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, the European Rally Cup South and the European Rally Cup West, and will join the World Rally Championship in 2025. The rally has been a tarmac rally event since inception.
First run in 1977 the rally was quickly popular for its location and climate as well as the Canary Islands reputation as a tourist destination. So much so that despite its isolated location, over 100 kilometres from the coast of Western Sahara, it has since 1979 been a part of Spain's national championship and has been an international event since 1982 when it was first included in the European Rally Championship. The events success could also be attributed to the similar and older Portuguese events the Rali Vinho da Madeira held on the island of Madeira 400 km to the north and Rallye Açores which is based on the island of São Miguel Island which is on the mid-Atlantic ridge.
In keeping with its importance as a Spanish event, Spanish drivers have dominated. Medardo Pérez won the first two events driving a BMW. Spain's world champion, Carlos Sainz won the event in five consecutive years from 1985 to 1989 in a variety of cars. Fellow Spaniards Jesús Puras and Luis Monzón have taken three wins as has Czech driver Jan Kopecký.
The tarmac nature of the event has led to a number of non-traditional rally cars winning the event with Porsche 911 taking five victories. In the 1990s the World Two Litre Kit Cars were able to upset the 4WD turbo cars, much as they were able to on similar events in the World Championship like the Tour de Corse.
The rally joined the European Championship in 1982 and maintained a calendar position until 2004 when it was demoted to the European Rally Cup West. In 2006 it moved from the West region to the South. It returned to the West region in 2007 before shifting to the Rally Cup South permanently in 2008. In 2010 the rally joined the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, replacing the Rally Príncipe de Asturias. It stayed on the calendar until the IRC folded in 2012. For the 2013 season its European status was promoted back into the European Rally Championship, again replacing Rally Príncipe de Asturias.
List of winners
Sourced in part from: YearWinnerCar 1977 Medardo Pérez BMW 2002 1978 Medardo Pérez BMW 2002 1979 Marc Etchebers Porsche Carrera 3.0 1980 Marc Etchebers Porsche 911 SC 1981 Benigno Fernández Porsche 911 SC 1982 Eugenio Ortiz Renault 5 Turbo 1983 Eugenio Ortiz Renault 5 Turbo 1984 Terry Kaby Nissan 240RS 1985 Carlos Sainz Renault 5 Turbo 1986 Carlos Sainz Renault 5 Maxi Turbo 1987 Carlos Sainz Ford Sierra RS Cosworth 1988 Carlos Sainz Ford Sierra RS Cosworth 1989 Carlos Sainz Toyota Celica GT-Four 1990 Josep Bassas BMW M3 1991 Fabrizio Tabaton Lancia Delta Integrale 16V 1992 Piero Liatti Lancia Delta HF Integrale 1993 Gustavo Trelles Lancia Delta HF Integrale 1994 Luis Monzón Ford Escort RS Cosworth 1995 José María Ponce BMW M3 1996 José María Ponce Toyota Celica GT-Four 1997 Jesús Puras Citroën ZX Kit Car 1998 Gilles Panizzi Peugeot 306 Maxi Kit Car 1999 Jesús Puras Citroën Xsara Kit Car 2000 Jesús Puras Citroën Xsara Kit Car 2001 Salvador Cañellas Jr. Seat Cordoba WRC 2002 Jesús Puras Citroën Xsara WRC 2003 Miguel Campos Peugeot 206 WRC 2004 Luis Monzón Toyota Corolla WRC 2005 Joan Vinyes Peugeot 206 S1600 2006 Miguel Fuster Renault Clio S1600 2007 Luis Monzón Peugeot 206 WRC 2008 Sergio Vallejo Porsche 997 GT3 2009 Sergio Vallejo Porsche 997 GT3 2010 Jan Kopecký Škoda Fabia S2000 2011 Juho Hänninen Škoda Fabia S2000 2012 Jan Kopecký Škoda Fabia S2000 2013 Jan Kopecký Škoda Fabia S2000 2014 Didier Auriol Citroën Xsara WRC 2015 Miguel Fuster Porsche 997 GT3 RS 2016 Enrique Cruz Porsche 997 GT3 RS 2017 Alexey Lukyanuk Ford Fiesta R5 2018 Alexey Lukyanuk Ford Fiesta R5 2019 Pepe López Citroën C3 R5 2020 Adrien Fourmaux Ford Fiesta R5 Mk. II 2021 Alexey Lukyanuk Citroën C3 Rally2 2022 Nil Solans Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 2023 Yoann Bonato Citroën C3 Rally2 2024 Yoann Bonato Citroën C3 Rally2 2025 Kalle Rovanperä Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 2026 Sébastien Ogier Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 Bold — event was part of the World Rally Championship.
References
External links Official website European Rally Championship