Oliver Solberg rues optimistic performance after Rally Islas Canarias crash

Toyota’s Oliver Solberg has claimed his crash was a ‘big disappointment’ at the World Rally Championship’s Rally Islas Canarias, saying he was too optimistic. 

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

Solberg was within a chance of victory during the Rally Islas Canarias, keeping the defending world champion, Sebastien Ogier, within his sights. However, it all came undone on the final day. 

The Ogier/Solberg pair had enjoyed a thrilling fight, which seemed it would go down to the wire on the final day. After Friday, the gap was 8.9 seconds, then down to 3.8 seconds on Saturday night. By the time the crews tackled the 17th stage of the weekend, of 18, Ogier led Solberg by a narrow 2.2-second margin.

But the fight for victory was not to be, as the Swede collided with a barrier on SS17. Following the crash, the Swede had confirmed the incident was a ‘big disappointment,’ he said: 

“It was a very big disappointment what happened today. It had been a fantastic fight all weekend with Seb and Elfyn [Evans], and I had a great feeling in the car and just tried to drive with my normal rhythm. 

“Unfortunately, I just made a small mistake in this right-hander over a jump.”

Sebastien Ogier secures first win of 2026 at WRC Rally Islas Canarias

On the penultimate stage of the event, it was reported that Solberg had stopped on the stage, and it was quickly confirmed that his Rally1 Yaris was too damaged to continue on. 

Solberg had jumped on the road, partway through the stage, and hit the barrier, which ripped away the front-left tyre from its suspension and the rally winner was forced to pull off shortly after, watching his chance for victory disintegrate. 

Thankfully, both Solberg and his co-driver Elliott Edmundson were okay after the collision. 

“On the first pass we had been much slower in the rain, and now in the dry I was just too optimistic, jumped a bit too far and into the rail on the left-hand side,” Solberg explained. 

“I’m just sorry for the team. It’s been a big learning curve so far this year, but we will try to take the positives again and look forward to the next rally.”

Final Results: Who finished where at the WRC Rally Islas Canarias

This marks the Toyota driver’s third retirement from the same number of rallies, which include Kenya, Croatia and now the Canarias. It also marks his first rally of the season where he has failed to score points. 

As a result of the non-scoring points finish at Gran Canaria, it means that Solberg has dropped down the overall standings to fourth. He was overtaken by teammate Sami Pajari, who moved up to third overall, having gone on to take his fourth consecutive podium finish spanning from Sweden to the Canary Islands.

Despite this, it means the Swedish driver will be in a better position going into the next rally on the calendar, Rally Portugal. He will not be expected to sweep the roads like those before him, and it will grant the Swede better road conditions. 

Read more WRC here:

• Final Results: Who finished where at the WRC Rally Islas Canarias
• Sebastien Ogier secures first win of 2026 at WRC Rally Islas Canarias
• Solberg heartbreak as Swede stops whilst Ogier leads Rally Islas Canarias
• Oliver Solberg tightens gap on Sebastien Ogier at WRC Rally Islas Canarias
• Jon Armstrong goes off the road at Rally Islas Canarias
• Sebastien Ogier leads Toyota quintet after Rally Islas Canarias Saturday morning

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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.