The WRC drivers face a brand-new challenge, as Rally Paraguay is held for the first time.
There is excitement and anticipation in the air, not only because of the new event, but also due to the championship battle, which is heating up to the extreme.
Before Paraguay, Toyota’s Elfyn Evans leads the drivers’ standings, but his team-mate Kalle Rovanperä is only three points behind. Nor are the other challengers far away: Toyota’s Sébastien Ogier and Hyundai’s Ott Tänak are only 13 points off the lead.
Toyota’s deputy team principal Juha Kankkunen made the team’s target very clear.
“As always, we try to win, of course,” Kankkunen smiled.
“It’s a new rally for everyone. But from what I’ve seen in the videos from our drivers, it looks quite different from what we’ve done so far,” Kankkunen continued.
The four-time world champion studied his drivers’ material with great interest, which also brought back memories.
“I have done Rally Argentina many times, but at first glance this one seems a bit faster – a lot of long straights, a lot of junctions, some very tricky places. But the road surface, if it stays dry, looks okay,” Kankkunen described the conditions with the experience of a man who has seen it all in rallying.
Expanding into a new country is always a small risk for any sporting series, but in Paraguay it has immediately become clear that the WRC made the right decision in coming here. The enthusiasm for the sport has been remarkably strong even before the start of the rally.
“It’s always nice to come to a country where people are waiting for you, they like you, and they always welcome you. Some countries don’t understand anything about rallies, but here it feels very familiar,” Kankkunen praised.
But the atmosphere is not quite so good that Kankkunen himself would be tempted to climb back behind the wheel of a rally car.
“Definitely not. I have done my rallies, but I like to be the boss for the boys,” Kankkunen laughed without a moment’s hesitation.
Rally Paraguay gets underway on Friday afternoon Central European time, with a total of eight special stages on the opening day.
