Donning their asphalt guise for only the second time this year, M-Sport Ford Word Rally Team’s Ford Puma Rally1s are ready for a return to Tarmac – Grégoire Munster and Josh McErlean contesting Rally Islas Canarias as the event makes its FIA World Rally Championship debut next week.
First run in 1977, this popular asphalt rally has been a part of the European rally scene since 2016 and is now set to test the world’s best at the sport’s highest level.
Based in the cosmopolitan city of Las Palmas on the island of Gran Canaria, the event plays host to 18 special stages through a mix of tight and twisty, fast and flowing mountain roads – all bordered by dramatic ocean views.
Set to be one of the most picturesque events of the year, Rally Islas Canarias could also be one of the most technical – the unfamiliar stages demanding precision as well as commitment. A strong recce will be essential, as will shrewd tyre strategies as the team navigate the island climate.
Having contested the event back in 2020, both Munster and McErlean have some previous knowledge when it comes to the nature and character of the stages and completed a two-day test to dial their Ford Puma Rally1s into the expected terrain.
Showcasing an impressive increase in pace with two stage victories already under their belts this year, Munster and co-driver Louis Louka will be looking for more of the same next week. Despite being disadvantaged by road position on the opening day, the duo has every chance of delivering another inspiring performance.
Also facing the challenge of running further down the road order, McErlean and co-driver Eoin Treacy will be looking to continue their development with another strong showing on Tarmac next week. Having already demonstrated their potential with strong times on all surfaces, the pairing is keen to see what they can do as the championship turns to Tarmac for a second time of asking.
Elsewhere in the team, Romet Jürgenson and Siim Oja are also back in action – contesting the WRC2 Championship behind the wheel of their FIA Rally Star Ford Fiesta Rally2.
Fresh from victory with four out of a possible five stage wins at last week’s Kielder Carlisle Stages, the Estonian pairing is geared up for another outing on the world stage and eager to showcase their ability on asphalt.
Richard Millener, Team Principal, M-Sport Ford World Rally Team, said:
“I’m looking forward to what promises to be an exciting return to Tarmac next week for the fourth round of the 2025 championship. Rally Islas Canarias has been one of the most popular events in ERC for a while now, and I’m glad we now get to experience it as part of the world championship.
“This is a very technical event, but luckily both Grégoire and Josh have some experience here, so they know what to expect. This is Josh’s first full-Tarmac event in the Rally1 car, so it will be a big learning weekend for him, and Grégoire is comfortable on smooth surfaces already. Tarmac is always exciting because there’s so much strategy at play, it’ll be interesting to see how it turns out.
“Really pleased to have Romet back with the team as well for his second WRC2 round in the Rally2. He’s made some great progress with us in the BRC and has learnt a lot about the car, which he can hopefully carry into his next few events.”
Grégoire Munster said:
“I’m really looking forward to Gran Canaria! We didn’t really have an event like this on Tarmac last year that was like proper racing, with a really stiff car, wide roads and high grip, so I’m excited to try to push the car to the maximum on these roads. We have such a variety of events in the championship, for example going from the icy Monte stages, to Sweden and then Kenya, and this is now our first proper tarmac event in 2025.
“We need to have perfect pace notes and I’m looking forward to getting out on the stages. Hopefully the weather will be better than it is in Belgium!”
Josh McErlean said:
“Monte Carlo gave me my first taste of what a Rally1 car can do on a sealed surface, but Rally Islas Canarias is different, it’s full on, proper, smooth tarmac. The goal this weekend is to build on what I learned there from Monte—really trusting the aero, downforce and grip these cars can create. These roads demand precision and commitment, and I’m excited for that.”
Romet Jürgenson said:
“Our successful weekend in the BRC definitely gives us great confidence moving forward, especially on gravel. But I think now going to Canaries for my first WRC2 Tarmac rally, on Hankook tyres as well, there will be a lot to learn.
“Especially looking at the entry list, there are a lot of experienced and fast drivers, so I will be keeping both feet on the ground and just hope for a good, solid rally where we can develop our driving. If we can improve our speed throughout the event, and fight with the top guys in some places, I think that will be mission accomplished. We just want to get all the experience possible.”
