Paraguay Rally 2026 set to be longest WRC event; drivers test roads

The Rally of Paraguay 2026 is gearing up to be the most demanding event of the World Rally Championship (WRC) season, boasting the longest special stage distance with 357.6 kilometers spread across 22 timed sections. This marks the 11th round of the 2026 WRC calendar and follows its historic win as "Best Rally of the World" last year.

As official teams and top drivers arrive in Paraguay, the pre-event adrenaline is palpable. The "Sunday Test" took place on the picturesque and challenging red clay roads in the southern regions of Carmen del Paraná, Cambyretá, and Colonias Unidas. This provided an ideal setting for various competitors, predominantly local pairings in the WRC2 and Rally4 categories, to test their machines.

The primary goal for these crews during the tests was to gain initial experience with their cars on the Itapúa soil. They aimed to assess component responses and fine-tune their vehicles before official scrutineering. Drivers like 25-year-old Paraguayan WRC competitor Fau Zaldívar and Bolivian Marco Bulacia, navigating with Spaniard José Murado in a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, are fine-tuning their strategies.

The testing continues with the "Monday Test" in Nueva Alborada, where more international crews are expected to join. Teams are working against the clock to understand how their cars will perform on a surface that combines fast sections with highly technical areas, promising a rigorous test for the world's best drivers. Notable participants include Paraguayan-Argentine duo Gustavo Saba and Pablo Olmos, and young Paraguayan driver Diego Domínguez Bejarano with his Spanish co-driver Rogelio Peñate. The event officially kicks off the countdown for motorsport enthusiasts, with the rally scheduled from August 27 to 30 in the Itapúa department.