WRC Preview: Rally del Paraguay 2026
- Olivia Kairu
- 1 hour ago
- 3 min read
The World Rally Championship (WRC) heads south into the first of two South American encounters lined up for the season, with the title race entering an increasingly important phase. Rally del Paraguay brings the crews to the border of Argentina, in the city of Encarnación, for 22 stages and almost 359 kilometres of competition in the championship’s latest round.
Round 11 of 14 comes after a dramatic Rally Finland that altered the momentum at the front of the championship. Sami Pajari arrived at his home event seeking to build on his breakthrough victory in Estonia. Four days later, he had won again, becoming the first driver in 2026 to take successive WRC victories.
“It feels simply amazing to win Rally Finland. It’s another dream result for us. It was already a big thing to take the first win in Estonia, but to win at home is always something special. Winning at home hasn’t always been easy for Finnish drivers, but somehow after a crazy rally we have managed to make it happen.
This one was tougher and more intense than Estonia; it was a really close fight with Seb (Ogier) and Elfyn (Evans), and we were setting very similar times for most of the rally. To be a winner of the ‘1000 Lakes’ is incredible. Marko (Salminen, Pajari’s co-driver) and I grew up watching legendary drivers win this rally, and now we are on top of the podium too; it’s crazy. Big thanks to the team and the fans for all their support.”
Now, the Finn carries the velocity of his home win to a rally with very different demands.
Paraguay, the next test
Rally del Paraguay’s gravel roads around Encarnación are considerably less predictable than the fast, flowing Finnish stages. The surface is predominantly red clay, with grip capable of changing as quickly as the road is disturbed by cars. Bumps, rocks, and murram obstacles add another layer to the challenge, while rain can transform the character of the stages.
The route has been expanded to 22 stages and 358.99km where Friday is expected to be particularly demanding across eight stages, before the rally continues through Saturday and Sunday. That makes Paraguay less about simply carrying Finland’s form forward and more about adapting quickly.
Toyota enter the weekend in the strongest position, leading Hyundai by 174 points and potentially sealing the championship this weekend. The Japanese manufacturer’s five full-season drivers also occupy the first five places in the drivers’ standings, making the individual intra-team battle much more interesting.
Pajari’s recent wins have naturally secured him the headline as a victorious Toyota driver in Estonia and Finland. His recent form has transformed him from a championship outsider into Elfyn Evans’ closest pursuer.
The British driver now sets out to consolidate his advantage. His Finland result proved particularly valuable. Oliver Solberg is another contender capable of interrupting the Evans-Pajari battle, having finished runner-up in Estonia and Finland, as he sits fourth in the championship.
Sebastian Ogier’s championship position has slipped following a Finland retirement, but as winner of Rally del Paraguay in 2025, he is in a position to use his victory as a reference point for the roads ahead.
Hyundai, on the other hand, leave Finland for Paraguay with less to show for their performances than they would have desired.
Adrien Fourmaux finished fourth and Thierry Neuville fifth, while the team felt their speed had been strong enough to challenge for more. Nevertheless, Fourmaux remains sixth in the drivers’ championship on 129 points, with Neuville in seventh on 125 points, with Paraguay offering the Korean manufacturer a chance to reset and go for the best result.
Edited by Vyas Ponnuri
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