Oliver Solberg tops opening test of Rally Islas Canarias shakedown

Toyota’s Oliver Solberg was the fastest driver in the first runs of shakedown as the crews prepare to go rallying at the Rally Islas Canarias.

Feature image credit: Jaanus Ree // Red Bull Content Pool

Solberg has set the benchmark for the crews to beat as the Swede put in the fastest time on the first shakedown test, heading a Toyota 1-2-3 lockout.

Championship leaders Takamoto Katsuta and Aaron Johnston were the first drivers to head out onto the 6.26km Santa Brigida test. The Japanese/Irish pairing laid down the gauntlet for the following drivers to beat, with a four-minute 13.4 second benchmark.

However, the championship leaders were quickly beaten by their teammates with Oliver Solberg heading the Toyota pack that had rounded out the top five when the first pass concluded.

The Swede had gone faster by 3.8 seconds overall, putting in the best time of the first shakedown run, a four-minute and 9.6s sprint through the opening test.

Rally Islas Canarias: The full WRC stage guide and times

Toyota’s defending world champion, Sebastien Ogier occupied second place ahead of Elfyn Evans, who rounded out the top three. Ogier and Evans sat a maximum of one-second off the pace of Solberg.

Hyundai’s Dani Sordo, in his return to the WRC, was the fastest driver for the South Korean manufacturer, finishing seventh overall just behind M-Sport Ford’s Joshua McErlean (sixth, +6.5s).

Sordo’s teammates, Thierry Neuville and Adrien Fourmaux rounded out Hyundai’s 7-8-9 positions, sitting a max of 6.9 seconds away from Solberg’s leading pace.

So, who finished where after the opening run of Shakedown at the Rally Islas Canarias?

First timed runs:

1. Oliver Solberg, Toyota – 4m 9.6s
2. Sebastien Ogier, Toyota +0.7s
3. Elfyn Evans, Toyota +1s
4. Sami Pajari, Toyota +2s
5. Takamoto Katsuta, Toyota +3.8s
6. Joshua McErlean, M-Sport Ford +6.5s
7. Dani Sordo, Hyundai +6.6s
8. Thierry Neuville, Hyundai +6.9s
9. Adrien Fourmaux, Hyundai +6.9s
10.  Jon Armstrong, M-Sport Ford +8.1s

Read more WRC here:

• Sebastien Ogier aiming for Rally Islas Canarias victory to go ‘one better’ than last year
• Hyundai to reset and refocus for WRC Rally Islas Canarias after Croatia heartbreak
• Rally Islas Canarias: The full WRC stage guide and times
• Katsuta jokes to get ‘tips’ from Rovanpera ahead of WRC Rally Islas Canarias
• Rally Islas Canarias Weather 2026: Full WRC Weekend Forecast
• Takamoto Katsuta takes back-to-back wins with surprise Croatia Rally victory

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Kamron Kent

Hi, I’m Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion.

I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I’ve loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.

Kamron Kent

Hi, I'm Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion. I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I've loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.