Ogier wins Rally Paraguay as Toyota equals historic WRC record

Sébastien Ogier won the Rally of Paraguay in its inaugural edition, completing a comeback from Friday when he lost nearly 40 seconds due to a loss of tire pressure. The French driver from Toyota secured his eighteenth victory with the Japanese team, becoming the most successful driver for the brand, surpassing Kalle Rovanperä.

The victory also allowed Toyota to equal the all-time record of 102 wins in the WRC, previously held by Citroën. The Japanese manufacturer has won nine of the ten rounds held in the 2025 season.

Photo By Red Bull Content Pool

Photo By Red Bull Content Pool

Evans Extends Championship Lead

Elfyn Evans took advantage of the situation to finish second, just one second ahead of Thierry Neuville. The Welshman extended his lead in the championship, although Ogier closed the gap to just nine points after his weekend comeback.

Neuville won the Power Stage and completed the podium, finishing 1.3 seconds ahead of Fourmaux. The Belgian showed speed at the decisive moment to salvage a podium position.

Fourmaux's Post-Event Withdrawal Due to Technical Regulations

Hyundai Motorsport withdrew Fourmaux from the rally after the conclusion of all stages, apparently under Article 17.5.1 of the FIA WRC sporting regulations. This regulation allows teams to change sealed transmission components when a car retires from the first rally of linked events.

Paraguay and Chile are classified as linked events, meaning components like the gearbox and differentials must remain sealed between both rallies. The withdrawal allows Hyundai to make technical changes before the Rally Chile Bio Bío without the five-minute penalty that would apply for breaking the seals.

Rovanperä Recovers After Saturday Puncture

Kalle Rovanperä finished sixth after a puncture on Saturday destroyed his chances of victory. The Finn is now tied on 189 points with Ogier in the title fight, both chasing Evans.

Ott Tänak completed the top five for Hyundai, finishing just 2.1 seconds behind Fourmaux. Sami Pajari was seventh in the third works Toyota.

Oliver Solberg dominated WRC2 with a performance that took him from tenth to first place in the category over the three days of competition. Yohan Rossel and Nikolay Gryazin completed the overall top 10.

Photo By Red Bull Content Pool

Next Stop: Chile

The WRC continues its South American tour in less than two weeks when the championship visits Concepción for the Rally Chile Bio Bío. The gravel event will take place from September 11th to 14th.

Rally of Paraguay Results

*Subsequently withdrawn by Hyundai