Friday’s opening stage of Rally Paraguay in the World Rally Championship delivered an unusually chaotic start, with high tyre wear causing punctures and delaminations that led to several retirements. Four-time world champion Juha Kankkunen described the day as one of the most eventful he could recall, underscoring the severity of the conditions.
Crews had anticipated a grueling rally, comparing it to the extreme conditions of the Safari Rally Kenya. Heavy rain forecast for Saturday and Sunday was expected to turn the clay and gravel stages into slippery, high-risk terrain, amplifying concerns over tyre durability.
The tyre issues forced multiple drivers to abandon the stage, reshaping the early leaderboard and adding pressure on teams to adapt their strategies before the wetter conditions arrive.
