As we mentioned in a previous article, these cars arrived in the country completely dismantled and packed, to be assembled here in Paraguay, specifically at the Service Park. The convoy, which set off from Luque, brought the five Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 cars, the three Hyundai i20 N Rally1 cars and the two Ford Puma Rally1 cars.
At 4.00 am, whilst the city was still asleep and the sky was just beginning to change colour, the huge ‘storks’ carrying a very special cargo arrived in Encarnación: the Rally1 competition cars, the stars of the top class in the World Rally Championship.
The convoy brought with it a blend of adrenaline, technology, speed and dreams. And, in a way, they also bring the heart of the rallying world to the red earth of Itapúa, which is already hungry for the roar of engines.
After a long journey, the cars are now in the ‘Rally Capital’. Now another stage of the journey begins: assembly, adjustments, scrutineering and that fine-tuning where every millimetre counts before heading out onto the circuit to chase the fastest times.
Because in rallying, as in love, simply arriving isn’t enough: you have to know how to read the road. You have to trust the person sitting beside you – that co-driver who interprets every bend, anticipates the next challenge and maintains the pace even when the terrain changes suddenly.
And here, the terrain is undoubtedly set to take centre stage. The 2026 WRC ueno Rally del Paraguay will be centred on Encarnación and will take place from 27 to 30 August, featuring 22 special stages and 356.04 kilometres of timed sections on dirt tracks. That famous red Paraguayan earth will once again be the setting where drivers and co-drivers must take the wheel, keeping a close eye on the pace notes and the stopwatch. A surface that can be fast and smooth on the first run, but which changes rapidly, creates deep ruts and alters the grip.
But before the engines are revved up and the real battle against the clock begins, there is one image that will stand out as one of the first signs that the World Rally Championship is already in Paraguay: four o’clock in the morning, Encarnación is silent and the vehicles are entering the city in absolute silence, carrying the most eagerly awaited passengers – the rally cars.
The wait is over; now the real challenge begins between the cars, the drivers and the red earth of Itapúa. And as with any great rally, the best is yet to come.
