And the Ford Fiesta Rally3-driving pair offer an interesting contrast. Kazaz is one event into his ERC3 career and new to Rally Islas Canarias, while Widłak won the ERC3 title in 2022 and has tackled the Las Palmas event on one previous occasion.
Despite their differing levels of experience, an exciting battle for supremacy is in store as Kazaz and Widłak bid to follow Jon Armstrong by winning ERC3 on Rally Islas Canarias, a feat the M-Sport Poland-run driver achieved last season when he drove his Fiesta Rally3 Evo to victory alongside Cameron Fair.
Following the season-opening V-Híd Rally Hungary, 31-year-old Widłak is second in the provisional ERC3 standings, two places ahead of Kazaz.
After Michał Marczewski co-drove him on the all-gravel Hungarian stages, Widłak is reunited with fellow Pole Daniel Dymurski (pictured second from right with Widłak second from left) for Rally Islas Canarias. Dymurski partnered Widłak to the ERC3 title two years ago having navigated Łukasz Habaj to third overall on Rally Islas Canarias in 2019.
With round one winner Filip Kohn not nominating Rally Islas Canarias as one of his scoring rounds, Widłak is effectively the championship leader in his Grupa PGS RT-entered Fiesta, five points ahead of Kazaz (below).
Eighteen-year-old Kazaz, from Turkey, began his ERC3 adventure in Hungary boosted by a famous mentor. His father Erkan is not only a three-time ERC event winner and multiple Turkish champion, he’s also well known for having established Turkey’s first international motorsport team, Atölye Kazaz.
The squad ran cars in the WRC during the 2000s and Erkan’s enthusiasm – and aptitude – for rallying has rubbed off on his teenage son, who joins forces with highly experienced co-driver Hugo Magalhães for his second ERC appearance.
How to watch?
Fans across the globe can experience the excitement and drama of the ERC with every stage of every rally broadcast Rally.tv platform. In addition, the ERC is broadcast in a number of countries around the world and fans are advised to check local listings for details.
Rally Islas Canarias 2024: the key numbers
Stages: 13
Competitive distance: 193.12 kilometres
Total distance: 617.68 kilometres
Finland
Italy
Hungary