Kalle Rovanperä has once again shown why he is considered one of the brightest stars in the world of rallying. Rally Islas Canarias, held on the island of Gran Canaria, which made its WRC debut in 2025, was a showpiece for the Finnish driver from start to finish. Rovanperä and his co-driver Jonne Halttunen dominated the event convincingly, winning 15 of the 18 stages and taking the maximum points, 35, including wins on Super Sunday and the Wolf Power Stage. This was Rovanperä’s first win of the 2025 season and the 16th WRC victory of his career, lifting him to second place in the WRC standings, 43 points behind the leader.
The race on Gran Canaria’s technical and winding asphalt roads was challenging for all participants. However, Rovanperä found a rhythm that no one could match. Already on Friday’s opening run, he took command, winning all three special stages and increasing his lead to 17.8 seconds. The key was the right settings for the Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 and Rovanperä’s ability to adapt to the Hankook tyres, which had caused him problems earlier in the season. On Saturday, he continued his dominant performance, winning six of the seven special stages and increasing his lead over teammate Sébastien Ogier to 45.2 seconds. The only special stage he did not win was Saturday’s super special stage at the Gran Canaria basketball arena, where Elfyn Evans was fastest.
Rovanperä’s performance was almost perfect. He described his riding as “flowing” and stressed that the roads of Gran Canaria resembled a racetrack in places, which suited his riding style. The Tejeda-San Mateo special stage in particular, which he called one of the favorites of his career, was his showpiece. The Finn’s ability to drive cleanly and precisely along an ideal line stood out, and he admitted that the victory came without taking too many risks. This was a significant turnaround for Rovanperä, who had started his season weakly with fourth places in Monte Carlo and Sweden and a retirement in Kenya.
Toyota’s dominance was evident as the team took the top positions. Sébastien Ogier finished second, 53.5 seconds behind Rovanperä, and Elfyn Evans was third, cementing their position at the top of the championship. Takamoto Katsuta completed Toyota’s quadruple win with a fourth place finish, although the team lost Sami Pajar, who retired on Saturday after a run-out. Pajar’s accident, in which he hit the guardrail on a fast left-hand corner, was Toyota’s only setback of the race.
Hyundai, on the other hand, was left in the shadows. Adrien Fourmaux was the team’s best driver in fifth place, but Thierry Neuville and Ott Tänak suffered from car set-up problems and were far from the front. Neuville’s flat tire on Sunday dropped him to seventh, a major blow to his fight for the world championship. Toyota’s performance strengthened its lead in the manufacturers’ championship, and the gap to Hyundai’s 49 points widened even further.
The Gran Canaria Rally was not only a sporting experience but also a visual one. The island’s mountain roads, volcanic landscapes and coastal views provided a stunning backdrop for the competition. Thousands of spectators watched the event on site, with the Gran Canaria Arena Super Special Stage in particular attracting a large crowd. The rally was praised for its organisation, and the island has already been confirmed for the calendar for next season, potentially for up to three years.
Rovanperä’s victory was a statement, as the official WRC X-account noted. It was a reminder of his abilities and a sign that he is back in the fight for his third world championship. The victory moved him up to second in the points standings, and the fourth round of the season showed that the Finn has found his peak form again. Rovanperä and Halttunen’s celebrations in the Gran Canaria sun were well deserved, and the rally world is eagerly awaiting what they will do next. As the season continues towards the next rounds, such as Rally Estonia, Rovanperä has once again shown that he is a driver who is hard to stop.
