358.99 km, 22 special stages contested

Toyota's Pajari becomes first driver to win first three WRC victories in consecutive rounds

Hankook Tire supplies all classes in WRC

Next stop: Chile Rally, Sept. 10–13

A Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team vehicle races on an unpaved course at the 2026 WRC Paraguay Rally. [Hankook Tire & Technology]
A Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team vehicle races on an unpaved course at the 2026 WRC Paraguay Rally. [Hankook Tire & Technology]

Sami Pajari claimed his third consecutive World Rally Championship victory on the red clay and sand roads of Paraguay, as the 11th round of the 2026 WRC season — supplied exclusively with racing tires by Hankook Tire & Technology across all classes — came to a close.

Hankook Tire & Technology announced Monday that the WRC Round 11 Paraguay Rally, held from Friday through Sunday (local time) in and around Encarnación, Paraguay, had concluded.

The Paraguay Rally joined the WRC calendar last year and was held for the second time this year. The event covered a total of 358.99 kilometers across 22 special stages.

Conditions on course were demanding. Drivers navigated gravel roads of mixed red clay and sand, as well as forest tracks, and the surface deteriorated significantly as cars passed through — deep ruts and tire grooves carved into the road on repeated runs over the same stages. High-speed sections added to the challenge, making a driver's ability to read the surface and the vehicle's stability key factors in the final standings.

Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally Team's Sami Pajari took the victory. Having claimed his first WRC win in Estonia, Pajari followed up with wins in Finland and now Paraguay to complete a hat trick of consecutive victories.

Particularly notable was that all three of his career WRC wins came in three consecutive rounds — a first in championship history.

Hankook Tire & Technology is supplying tires to all WRC classes this season. In gravel rallies like Paraguay, where surface conditions change rapidly during competition, a tire's ability to absorb repeated impacts while maintaining grip is considered a critical factor.

The series stays in South America for the next round. The Season 12 Chile Rally will be held Sept. 10–13 in and around Concepción, Chile.

The Chile event features high-speed corners on hard-packed surfaces of compacted volcanic ash and fine gravel. With cars repeatedly running at high speeds over firm ground, tread durability and sidewall strength are expected to be key variables.

Hankook Tire & Technology applies driving data gathered from the WRC and more than 70 other motorsport competitions worldwide to the research and development of its consumer tires.

The company is also expanding its share of high-value products in its core business. Hankook Tire & Technology's tire division posted sales of 2.81 trillion won ($2.04 billion) in the second quarter of this year, a record quarterly high, driven by growing sales of tires 18 inches or larger and electric vehicle-specific products, particularly in Europe and China.


kwater@heraldcorp.com