The opening day of WRC Paraguay brought pure rallying drama, with Kalle Rovanperä ending Friday as the unexpected leader. The Finnish driver gained the top spot after Adrien Fourmaux suffered a late puncture that changed the story of the day. This surprise lead keeps the championship picture even more alive.
Fourmaux’s Speed Cut Short
Adrien Fourmaux had been the star performer across Paraguay’s red gravel roads. His Hyundai i20 N Rally1 looked poised to secure a breakthrough moment. For most of the day, he held a commanding position, showing composure against more seasoned rivals. But with less than four kilometres to go on the penultimate stage, a sharp rock punctured his tyre. That single moment shifted the rally lead into Rovanperä’s hands.
Rovanperä Gains an Unplanned Advantage
Rovanperä admitted he was far from his best on Paraguay’s tricky terrain. The reigning double world champion confessed his pace was not where he wanted it to be. Still, he ended the day with a slim lead of 7.1 seconds over Fourmaux. The Finnish star joked about the brutal landings on these stages, saying he could almost hear his back cracking from the rough compressions.
Championship Battle Intensifies
The debut of Paraguay on the WRC calendar proved to be tougher than expected. Every crew struggled with unpredictable grip and harsh conditions. Ott Tänak showed strong form, finishing just half a second behind Fourmaux in third. Meanwhile, Sébastien Ogier delivered one of the most inspiring drives of the day. After an early puncture cost him over 30 seconds, he fought back with three stage wins to climb into fourth place overall.
Mixed Fortunes for Title Contenders
Elfyn Evans, who began the event as championship leader, admitted he struggled to adapt. He finished the day over 21 seconds behind his team-mate Rovanperä. Thierry Neuville, the defending champion, also lacked rhythm and settled into sixth after a spin and an overshoot. Behind them, drivers like Josh McErlean and Sami Pajari also battled their way through setbacks.
Paraguay Proves Itself as a Brutal Test
The unforgiving nature of Paraguay’s stages took its toll on both drivers and machines. Takamoto Katsuta was forced to retire after losing a rear wheel, while Grégoire Munster lost nearly 50 minutes after going off-road early on. The unexpected shake-up gave WRC2 contenders Yohan Rossel and Nikolay Gryazin the chance to enter the overall top ten.
Looking Ahead to Saturday
With seven more stages and over 112km of timed competition still to come on Saturday, nothing is certain. Rovanperä may lead now, but Fourmaux, Tänak, and Ogier remain close enough to turn the rally upside down again. Paraguay’s debut is living up to the hype, proving to be one of the most punishing challenges on the calendar so far.
Summary
Rovanperä heads into Saturday at the top of the leaderboard after Fourmaux’s heartbreaking puncture. But with the margins so fine and the roads so unforgiving, the rally is still wide open.
Standings after Friday (SS8 /19)
1. K Rovanperä / J Halttunen FIN Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 1h 16m 13.3s
2. A Fourmaux / A Coria FRA Hyundai i20 N Rally1 +7.1s
3. O Tänak / M Järveoja EST Hyundai i20 N Rally1 +7.6s
4. S Ogier / V Landais FRA Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 +17.8s
5. E Evans / S Martin GBR Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 +21.1s
6. T Neuville / M Wydaeghe BEL Hyundai i20 N Rally1 +25.7s
Disclaimer: Event details, standings, and driver quotes are based on official reports from the WRC Paraguay stages.
Source: WRC
