Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally Team take title chase to South American gravel

Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally Team (TGR-WRT) have their eyes on the prize as they travel to the Rally del Paraguay this week (27-30 August) for round 11 of the 2026 FIA World Rally Championship – the first of two back-to-back challenges on South American gravel.

With strong results on the two most recent events on the high-speed stages of Estonia and Finland, TGR-WRT extended their lead of the manufacturers’ championship to 174 points and will have their first opportunity to clinch a sixth successive crown in Paraguay if they can extend their advantage by at least six more points.

The team also continue to have all five of its drivers occupying the top five places in the championship standings. Elfyn Evans remains the championship leader with an increased advantage of 30 points, with his nearest challenger is now Sami Pajari after he achieved his first two WRC victories back-to-back in Estonia and Finland.

Takamoto Katsuta and Oliver Solberg also remain in contention, 41 and 45 points from the lead respectively. Nine-time and reigning world champion Sébastien Ogier is now 62 points from the lead after an accident in Finland but ready to make a welcome return to action with regular co-driver Vincent Landais in Paraguay, where they won the country’s inaugural WRC event in 2025.

TGR WRC Challenge Program driver Yuki Yamamoto continues his WRC2 campaign, competing in his first rallies in South America. The GR Yaris Rally2 car is the most popular car in the Paraguay field, with 12 entries. Other WRC2 regulars competing include Alejandro Cachón and Gus Greensmith, along with no fewer than nine Paraguayan drivers: Diego Domínguez, Andrea Lafarja, Alejandro Galanti, Gustavo Saba, Fabrizio Galanti, Augusto Bestard, Franco Pappalardo and Miguel María García. Bolivian driver Marco Bulacia also returns to WRC action on his home continent.

On the WRC’s first visit to Paraguay last year, the drivers were greeted by passionate fans and discovered demanding stages. The fast roads have a red clay surface that provides changeable grip levels, while significant bumps and sharp rocks can also test cars and tyres. The event is based in Encarnación, situated on the banks of the Paraná river and the border with Argentina. It will be followed just two weeks later by Rally Chile.

Following a ceremonial start in Encarnación on Thursday evening, the rally begins with the longest day of competition on Friday with two loops of four stages totalling 95.5 competitive miles. Another two loops of four tests are run on Saturday before a new super special stage in Encarnación rounds out the day. Five stages close out the rally on Sunday.

Team quotes

Juha Kankkunen (Deputy Team Principal): “We’re excited to enter this last part of the season and travel to South America with everything still to be decided. In Paraguay we will have our first opportunity to secure the manufacturers’ title, but we are not expecting that to be easy. We found out last year when we did this rally for the first time just how challenging the roads and the conditions can be there. We saw a lot of passion and support too, as we always seem to do in South America, so we’re looking forward to going back. With our drivers also driving for their own ambitions in the championship and our competitors undoubtedly motivated to try to beat us, I’m sure this will be another exciting edition to follow.”

Elfyn Evans (driver car 33): “Our first time competing in Paraguay last year proved far more challenging than everyone anticipated. On paper the stages looked quite straightforward with many long straights and junctions, but the rally was made far more difficult by the polished clay surface and the changing grip levels. Then, when it rained on the final morning, there was almost no grip available at all. In our position running first on the road on these gravel rallies, some rain can help to level the playing field, but it can also turn quickly into a lottery when the grip is so low. Like always, we’ll just have to do our best in whatever conditions we face when the rally begins.”

Sébastien Ogier (driver car 1): “Rally Finland didn’t turn out the way we hoped after what had been a very good rally until the point that it ended for us, but the most important thing is that Julien and I were both OK. Now we’ve had some time to rest and recover and I’m ready to compete in Paraguay together with Vincent. Even if our championship hopes are more or less over, we still want to aim for the top step in each of the remaining rallies this year and help the team secure the manufacturers’ title. We experienced a great first rally in Paraguay last year, with an amazing atmosphere as well as challenging stages and conditions, and we will try our best to repeat our victory there.”

Oliver Solberg (driver car 99): “Paraguay put on an amazing event last year and it was special to experience the atmosphere there and the passion of the people. The roads were also unique, with narrow sections and wide stretches and jumps and dips, and the surface was quite slippery at times. It was a lot of fun, even if it was pretty difficult. In the faster places it felt we were on the limit with the Rally2 car; with the Rally1 car and the extra downforce we will be able to carry more speed, but I’ll need to make that adjustment like on almost every rally this year. After two podiums in the last two rallies, I hope we can keep this run going.”

Takamoto Katsuta (driver car 18): “I have very good memories from Paraguay and can’t wait to go back. There were so many fans supporting us and it was a very impressive event. The roads are nice and enjoyable, but we discovered last year that the surface is unique; very compacted and very polished, and there was very little grip when it rained. With that knowledge, it should be easier to go back, but we can’t know exactly how the conditions will be this time. Anyway, we will try to enjoy it once more and hopefully it can be a good rally for us.”

Sami Pajari (driver car 5): “Since Rally Finland it’s been nice to have some time to enjoy and appreciate what we’ve achieved recently before we refocus on the coming rallies in South America. It was great to go to Paraguay for the first time last year and see the excitement of all the fans there. It’s a good rally to drive with really fast roads and some big jumps, which I always enjoy. There are also some very twisty sections and if it rains, the surface can become crazy slippery. Our recent results don’t change our approach for this event; we just have to continue trying to do the best job possible and hopefully we can keep achieving good results.”

ENDS