Canary Islands Rally - SS17: Solberg crashes out, Ogier cruises to victory

The Canary Islands Rally took a dramatic turn in SS17. Oliver Solberg, then second, was battling for the win before making a mistake. This left the way clear for Sébastien Ogier, who set the fastest time and now has his sights set on 35 points for the weekend and a 68th WRC victory.

Published 26/04/2026 à 12:28

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Canary Islands Rally – SS17: Solberg crashes out, Ogier cruises to victory

The second pass over the Ingenio Valsequillo course, now perfectly dry, marked the turning point of the Rally Canary Islands. On the abrasive tarmac, overconfidence proved costly for Oliver Solberg. Chasing the race leader, Sébastien OgierThe Swede made a fatal mistake by hitting a wall. His bike, too badly damaged, remained immobilized at kilometer 14,7, its right front wheel torn off.

Sébastien Ogier couldn't have asked for more. By overtaking his rival's wrecked car, the Frenchman immediately sealed the deal with a commanding stage win, 2,5 seconds ahead of Elfyn Evans. This brilliant performance puts him in the lead of Super Sunday.

Now, he has the Grand Slam in his sights. With the final victory almost assured, his 68th in his career and the first since Japan 2025, Ogier is indeed aiming for the full 35 points offered by the combination of the general classification, Sunday and the Power Stage.

Solberg's retirement also shook up the bottom of the top 10 in the overall standings of the Canary Islands Rally. Yohan Rossel took advantage of the Swede's mistake to climb to ninth overall. Just behind him, Spaniard Alejandro Cachón slotted into tenth position, playing spoiler between the two French brothers. Léo Rossel now sits in eleventh place overall and has dropped to third in the provisional WRC2 standings.