Sami Pajari (Toyota Gazoo Racing) won Rally Paraguay 2026, making history with his third consecutive WRC victory and closing the gap on WRC leader Elfyn Evans.
Overall Classification – Rally Paraguay (Aug 28–30, 2026)
- Sami Pajari – Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT – 3:07:33.4
- Hayden Paddon – Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT – +26.1s
- Adrien Fourmaux – Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT – +49.4s
- Elfyn Evans – Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT – +53.2s
- Oliver Solberg – Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT – +3:09.9s
- Jon McErlean – M-Sport Ford WRT – +4:16.4s
- James Armstrong – M-Sport Ford WRT – +7:21.4s
- Diego Domínguez Jr. – Diego Domínguez Jr. Racing Team – +7:28.8s
- Gus Greensmith – Gus Greensmith Racing Team – +7:51.0s
- Alejandro Galanti – Alejandro Galanti Racing Team – +10:13.8s
Championship Standings After Rally Paraguay
- Elfyn Evans – Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT – 201.0 pts
- Sami Pajari – Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT – 171.0 pts
- Takamoto Katsuta – Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT – 160.0 pts
- Oliver Solberg – Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT – 156.0 pts
- Sébastien Ogier – Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT – 139.0 pts
Pajari’s win in Paraguay, also his third WRC victory in a row, has tightened the title fight, leaving him just 20 points behind Evans with three rounds remaining.
The 2026 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) field features three primary factory entrants competing in the premier Rally1 category:
- Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT: The reigning manufacturers’ champions field a formidable lineup. Led by championship contender Elfyn Evans and full-time driver Oliver Solberg, Toyota’s roster is bolstered by part-time outings from eight-time champion Sébastien Ogier and Takamoto Katsuta, alongside Sami Pajari accordingly under the Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT2 banner.
- Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team: Hyundai’s campaign is spearheaded by 2024 World Champion Thierry Neuville and Adrien Fourmaux, albeit full-time. Their third i20 N Rally1 car is shared throughout the season by a rotation of experienced drivers: Esapekka Lappi, Dani Sordo, and returning veteran Hayden Paddon.
- M-Sport Ford World Rally Team: Emphasising the development of elite young talent, the British outfit also fields the Ford Puma Rally1. M-Sport’s campaign also features full-time entries for Josh McErlean and ERC graduate Jon Armstrong, with select appearances from Mārtiņš Sesks.
