PRESS RELEASE
Armstrong and Byrne head to Gran Canaria, and The Rally of Spain, after strong Croatia pace as WRC round five tests precision, tyre management and commitment on smooth tarmac
Gran Canaria, Spain – 21 April 2026
Jon Armstrong and co-driver Shane Byrne face one of the FIA World Rally Championship’s most technical challenges this week as they tackle the Canary Islands Rally, round five of the 2026 season.
The M-Sport Ford duo head to Gran Canaria buoyed by a strong performance on the Croatia Rally, where they consistently matched frontrunning stage times and secured third-place finishes on both Super Sunday and the Power Stage.
Further updates throughout the weekend will be published at jonarmstrongrally.com.
Gran Canaria, known as the Circuit of the Atlantic, features smooth, high-speed roads that provide one of the most distinctive challenges on the WRC calendar. Island fog, damp morning conditions and the threat of rain showers are set to be defining factors across the weekend.
Crews will tackle 301 competitive kilometres across 18 stages, with competitive action beginning with a super special on Thursday evening.
For Armstrong, the Canary Islands Rally represents a fitting moment to reflect on his progress up the rallying pyramid. The Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy driver has competed on the event three times before – once in Rally4, once in Rally3, and once in Rally2 – winning the Rally3 category in 2023.
Quote – Jon Armstrong
“Canary Islands is always quite a tricky rally,” said Armstrong. “It is very much about precision and racing lines – trying to carry as much speed as possible without overheating the tyres or the brakes. The downhill sections in particular can be quite demanding in that respect.
“It is definitely a different challenge to Croatia. That said, the final day in Croatia had some twisty, technical stages that were a bit similar, so in a way it was a good warm-up. The rally itself covers a lot of the island, which is really cool, and I’ve been there two or three times before, so some sections are familiar, even if they’re run in reverse or slightly modified.
“It is probably not as naturally suited to me as Croatia, but if we focus on doing the best job we can, we shouldn’t be too far away from where we want to be.
“Preparation is definitely more difficult with only a week between events. There is not a huge amount of time, so it is mainly about reviewing onboard videos, refreshing your memory of the stages, and seeing if there are any pacenotes you can reuse or adapt.
“The key thing is that we are becoming more comfortable with the Puma on tarmac, and that helps when it comes to building confidence in the pacenotes and committing to them.
“A big part of it is visualising the stages – understanding where you can place the car and what speed you can carry. That is where a lot of the work goes in, especially when time is limited.
“It is going to be a challenge, but we are looking forward to it. The aim is to have a clean rally and see if we can mix it with the Hyundais. We know the Toyotas will be very strong as well, but we will focus on our own job and see where that puts us.”
Notes to Editors
- Event: Canary Islands Rally (Round 5 of the 2026 FIA World Rally Championship)
- Location: Gran Canaria, Spain
- Distance: 301 competitive kilometres
- Stages: 18 stages
- Start: Super special on Thursday evening
- Key characteristics: Smooth, high-speed asphalt, precision driving, tyre and brake management, potential fog and damp conditions
- Driver / Co-driver: Jon Armstrong / Shane Byrne
- Car: Ford Puma Rally1
- Team: M-Sport Ford World Rally Team
- Academy: Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy
- Background: Previous starts on the event in Rally4, Rally3 and Rally2 – Rally3 category winner in 2023
Links for editors
- Official website (home): https://jonarmstrongrally.com
- Press hub: https://jonarmstrongrally.com/press
ENDS
