Only one manufacturer occupies slots across the entire pyramid… and didn’t bring a full line-up to Paraguay: M-Sport Ford is the only manufacturer with cars in all five levels of the FIA Rally Pyramid, and whilst there are no cars in RC5, coincidentally there are no Ford Fiesta Rally4s in the class immediately above it. In addition to the Puma Rally1, a Fiesta Mk2 Rally2 and six Fiesta Rally3 Evo cars are entered.
A similar situation applies to Hyundai, and here an important clarification is in order: Hyundai’s line-up, apart from the i20 N Rally1, consists of the i20 N Rally2 (and its evolution, the Step 2), but no competitors have entered with the Korean firm’s customer racing car.
Paradoxically, however, the other manufacturers are fielding their full line-ups: apart from the GR Yaris Rally1, Toyota only offers its immediate lower-tier model, the GR Yaris Rally2, yet there are entrants competing with both vehicles. The same applies to Lancia, which has models in Rally2 and Rally4, as well as being making its debut on Paraguayan soil; the two official Ypsilon HF Integrale Rally2s and one Ypsilon HF Rally4 complete the Italian manufacturer’s line-up.
And to make matters even simpler, the Lions don’t need much: with the sole exception of the Lancia Ypsilon, all the cars in the RC4 class are Peugeot 208 Rally4s, with an almost exclusive preference for the ‘French cousin’ (bearing in mind that both brands now belong to the Stellantis group).
All options accounted for: Škoda is the only manufacturer to have all its models competing in the penultimate tier of the FIA Rally Pyramid at the WRC ueno Rally del Paraguay. Crews are entered driving the Fabia R5, the Fabia Rally2 Evo (originally introduced as the R5 Evo in 2019 before being renamed) and its latest contender, the RS Rally2, built on the fourth generation of its B-segment hatchback.
“Old, not obsolete”: although it has not received any further developments since the closure of Volkswagen’s motorsport division, there is one Polo GTI R5 entered – and yes, it’s driven by a local crew.
