First things first: how is the FIA World Rally Championship structured?
The championship is essentially a ‘macro-unit’ in which the title of champion is awarded to the driver who accumulates the most points across the fourteen rounds set out in a calendar previously approved by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) through its World Motor Sport Council – the highest governing body in motor sport.
Naturally, it is impossible for cars with different performance levels to compete on equal terms. There are six classes within the championship, although in Paraguay only four compete; for the purposes of this article, we will set aside the RGT (for Grand Touring cars) and the RC5 (for Rally5 & Rally5 Kit cars).
Having said that, let’s begin.
Class: RC1 / Cars: Rally1 (ELITE 4WD)
And yes, we’re going to draw on some of what we covered in the previous article. Although the regulations allow cars from the previous generation to compete (the 2017–2021 WRCs under very specific conditions), the top class of the FIA World Rally Championship today consists of cars from the Rally1 technical group; these vehicles were introduced in 2022 as replacements for the World Rally Cars in use from 1999 to 2021, marking a major generational shift that included the introduction of a universal hybrid system, which was subsequently removed in 2024 due to a number of factors.
These cars retain the engines based on the Global Race Engine architecture (1.6-litre, in-line 4-cylinder, turbocharged, 35-millimetre air restrictors, blocks not derived from a production model) producing 380 horsepower and are built around a specific safety cell homologated by the FIA; therefore, they are essentially prototypes rather than modified cars, as is the case in the following classes. Rally1 cars are exclusive to the World Rally Championship.
RC2 Class / Rally2 Cars (PERFORMANCE 4WD)
(Support Championships: WRC2 and WRC2 Challenger)
The pinnacle of customer racing in this category, introduced in 2013 under the name ‘R5’, sits one tier below the Rally1s; they adopted their current designation in 2020 and were introduced as replacements for the Super 2000 class. Whilst they are derived from production cars, they undergo extensive modifications to ensure their safety. Today, their performance surpasses that of the first two generations of World Rally Cars (those from 1999–2011 and 2012–2016).
In almost all cases, they are fitted with 4-cylinder engines, with the sole exception of the Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, which is the first 3-cylinder model to be homologated; however, the engine capacity remains at 1.6 litres and they can produce up to 285 horsepower. Contrary to popular belief, in all cases they are derived from a base model rather than being a performance version of the vehicle, even though a road-going counterpart exists.
RC3 Class / Rally3 Cars (ACCESS 4WD)
(Supporting Championships: WRC3 & Junior WRC, the latter not contested in Paraguay)
The ‘new neighbours’ made their debut in 2021 as the new entry point to four-wheel drive. Although, like the Rally2 cars, they are customer rally cars, the latter have only competed on our soil as part of the WRC ueno Rally del Paraguay – and will do so again – as there are no such cars competing locally.
In this case, there are two engine options: naturally aspirated engines ranging from 1,390 to 2,000 cubic centimetres, or turbocharged engines ranging from 920 to 1,627 cubic centimetres. Unlike Rally2 cars, their modifications are less extensive in terms of aerodynamics to keep them ‘simple’; it is the ideal step up for those coming from Rally4 cars, and their power output is around 230 horsepower.
RC4 Class / Rally4 Cars (PERFORMANCE 2WD)
The final link in the chain of the WRC ueno Rally del Paraguay is the Rally4 group; as with the Rally2 cars, it stems from the former hierarchy known as ‘Group R’, and has even been in competition for longer, having originated under the name ‘R2’. Modern cars gradually surpassed the older R3s (not to be confused with Rally3) due to being lighter and featuring more advanced technology; and as cars in that group are no longer homologated, they now compete (although not in our case) within the RC4 class.
As with the Rally3s, there are also two engine options: naturally aspirated engines ranging from 1,390 to 2,000 cubic centimetres, or turbocharged engines between 927 and 1,333 cubic centimetres. They feature even fewer modifications than their predecessors and are strictly front-wheel drive (FWD) cars, with power outputs ranging from around 190 to 215 horsepower.
With this guide, you can start getting excited about the WRC or the Rally of Paraguay by picking your favourite in each class. The event takes place from 28 to 30 August.
