Paraguay, Sportrik - The opening day of the 2026 Rally Paraguay was pure chaos. Several top drivers fell victim to incidents, technical gremlins, and especially punctures that reshuffled the leaderboard. In the midst of the mayhem, Sami Pajari kept his cool and ended the day in the lead.
The Finn holds the advantage over Hayden Paddon and Elfyn Evans, both of whom briefly led but suffered punctures that cost them valuable time. The intense battle has set the stage for a thrilling continuation.
A Nightmarish Morning
The chaos began on SS1 at Cambyreta. Takamoto Katsuta, impressive in shakedown, ended his day early after rolling his car. Meanwhile, Sebastien Ogier and Thierry Neuville also had punctures. Neuville's fate was worse as suspension damage forced him to retire on SS2.
Ogier suffered a second puncture on SS2, causing suspension damage that ended his day. Oliver Solberg led after SS2 but then stopped with an engine issue, though he managed to restart. Adrien Fourmaux also had a puncture on SS3 but recovered to win SS4.
Paddon was consistent in the morning and led for the first time since 2018, 24 seconds ahead of Josh McErlean.
An Afternoon of Drama
Fourmaux continued his strong form by winning SS5. Evans moved past McErlean to second, and then took the lead on SS6. However, another puncture cost him dearly, dropping him to third.
Pajari, who had been consistent, inherited the lead and never looked back. Paddon also suffered a puncture on SS7 and had to settle for second.
The puncture drama defined the day, robbing several drivers of a chance to lead. Pajari's clean run was rewarded, and he now has a comfortable cushion heading into day two.
Tomorrow will test Pajari's ability to defend his lead. Evans and Paddon will be eager to fight back, while Fourmaux remains a threat. One thing is certain: the 2026 Rally Paraguay is far from over.
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