What to expect from WRC’s “unique” Paraguay challenge 

The World Rally Championship is set for a voyage into the unknown this weekend as Paraguay makes its series debut offering up stages unlike any other on the calendar.

Exactly what will unfold on brand new stages held in conditions unfamiliar to WRC crews is difficult to predict. The prospect of a wide open battle for victory therefore awaits, with only 13 points separating Toyota trio Elfyn Evans, Kalle Rovanpera and Sebastien Ogier, plus Hyundai’s Ott Tanak in the title race.

Paraguay joins the Canary Islands and Saudi Arabia as new destinations on this year’s calendar, with the South American nation becoming the 38th country to host a WRC round.

Under the current sporting regulations, Rally1 crews are prevented from testing outside of Europe – a move to save costs – meaning they will head to Paraguay with limited knowledge.

To prepare for the event, rally organisers have distributed videos of the stages to the crews, while teams were able to send an engineer to Paraguay’s test event last year to gather important data. 

With such limited knowledge at their disposal, the onus will however be on the teams to maximise car set-ups during the event, while drivers and co-drivers focus on making the best possible pacenotes from scratch to tackle the 19 gravel stages.

Whoever adjusts to the conditions the quickest will no doubt have an advantage. So what challenges will the WRC’s best face this weekend?

Unique stages featuring multiple grip changes

Before the crews landed in Paraguay, the early indications were that the stages comprising 333.18 competitive kilometres will offer something completely different. 

This has indeed proved to be the case with Paraguay’s red gravel roads, based around Encarnacion, near the Argentina border, providing a unique variable surface, featuring multiple grip changes that are difficult to predict. 

The road surface is also soft and clay-like which means it will rut easily on the second pass. The rally is likely to be a high speed affair with stages featuring long straights punctuated by junctions, blended with more technical slower sections. There are also plenty of loose rocks, multiple kickers, and compressions that are lurking to catch drivers out.

Thursday’s shakedown offered crews a first taste of the stages which highlighted the inconsistent grip that is worse than drivers had originally predicted following two days of recce. 

“It is a new event with plenty of surprises and quite a lot of grip changes, there is a bit of work on the car to do,” said reigning world champion Thierry Neuville.

“There are plenty of loose rocks, big rocks, so we have to get through it. The rhythm will be very high as it is a fast event. We need to be very committed but at the same time avoid all the loose stones.”

Thierry Neuville, Martijn Wydaeghe, Hyundai World Rally Team Hyundai i20 N Rally1

Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool

Neuville’s team-mate Ott Tanak added: “From shakedown it looks much more tricky than anticipated. The grip changes are massive, so it is a tricky surface. 

“They [the stages] are definitely unique and nothing really comparable. I guess they will have their own challenges that we will need to try to anticipate.”

Eight-time world champion Ogier welcomes the new challenge. The Toyota driver is expecting a big challenge ahead as he prepares to boost his bid for a ninth title. 

“It is always exciting. I think it is the essence of rally by having new notes and trusting them,” said Ogier, who along with shakedown pacesetting team-mate Takamoto Katsuta, was issued a €2,000 fine for reversing during the recce.  

“But I can already feel from the shakedown that it won’t be an easy week. The grip is changing a lot. It is not easy to read and it is all happening at high speed, so it will be a challenging weekend. Stage one tomorrow will be a good wake up call.”

Drivers wary of unexpected kickers 

Several of the WRC2 crews conducted local pre-event tests, permitted by the regulations this week to prepare for the rally. The tests highlighted just how challenging the stages will be through the weekend.  

“For sure the number one thing is the unexpected kicks and bumps. On the pre-event test we almost did a front flip on the first pass,” said WRC2 Estonia winner Robert Virves.

Robert Virves, Jakko Viilo, Toksport WRT Skoda Fabia Evo Rally2

Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool

“There is plenty of stuff to look out for but it is the same for everyone. It is going to be quite interesting.” 

To add to the complexity of the challenge, each leg of the rally features stages with varying characteristics which will keep drivers and teams on their toes.  

“Every day is different and there are so many different characteristics and this shakedown stage already is pretty bonkers,” said M-Sport-Ford’s Josh McErlean.

“The fans are everywhere and are proper passionate, so I’m just trying to enjoy the new adventure. Stage one is one of the biggest, it is an exciting start and hopefully we have a clean day and stay out of dramas as starting high up on the road on Saturday is not where you want to be.”

One factor that will be music to the ears of championship leader Evans is the fact that the road cleaning effect is likely to be less than other gravel rallies. 

“Shakedown was quite tough for us,” said Evans, who leads second-placed Rovanpera by three points in the championship. “I found the conditions very slippery and I didn’t find a brilliant feeling, so hopefully we can find something now before the rally starts, to be in a good position because the stages are quite demanding, especially on Friday.

Elfyn Evans, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT

Photo by: Toyota Racing

“I think maybe on Friday there is a chance that the road is more compact, so hopefully the cleaning effect is not as bad as what we have seen in previous events.”  

Changeable weather could cause havoc 

The other variable that could flip everything on its head is the weather. If rain showers hit, the clay-like road surface will transform completely, providing limited grip that will be like ice. 

“It is a different kind of surface to other rallies. The roads are made from this red soil which has quite a soft base, which on the second pass could become deeply rutted,” said WRC lead commentator Becs Williams. 

“If it rains it could be like ice and the soil will be like clay, and won’t absorb the water, so the cars will skate all over it. The terrain will be different every single day and there will be a mixture of fast and slow sections. That is all we know right now, we are really going into the unknown.” 

Ogier added: “I”m happy to see the sun right now because these roads in the rain will be very complicated, so let’s hope the sun will stay with us the whole weekend.”  

The rally begins on Friday with the first stage due to start at 12:03 BST.