The World Rally Championship’s newest event gets underway in earnest on Friday, but on Thursday morning local time the stars of the series had their first run on fast gravel roads during shakedown.
Fastest in the top class was Toyota’s Japanese driver Takamoto Katsuta, who set the benchmark time on his third attempt. Katsuta beat Hyundai’s Adrien Fourmaux by 0.3 seconds on the five-kilometre Trinidad stage.
Katsuta has been in excellent form recently, having claimed a superb second place at the previous round in Finland. If he can avoid unnecessary issues, the Japanese driver has every chance of producing another big result in Paraguay.
Behind Katsuta, the Hyundai trio of Fourmaux, Ott Tänak and Thierry Neuville filled the next three places. Toyota’s Kalle Rovanperä shared fourth position with Neuville, finishing one second off Katsuta’s pace.
Rovanperä showed good speed on his first two runs through shakedown. On his opening attempt he was second quickest behind his team-mate Sébastien Ogier, and on the second run he set the fastest time.
Championship leader Elfyn Evans, Ogier and Sami Pajari followed Rovanperä in the order. The gaps remained small, with Pajari in eighth only 1.5 seconds down on Katsuta.
The Rally Paraguay shakedown also revealed that the new event poses a completely fresh challenge – something that surprised most of the leading drivers.
“Now from the shakedown I can say it looks much more tricky than we anticipated. The grip changes are massive,” Tänak explained.
Similar comments were heard from other drivers after the opening runs.
Read more: Sebastien Ogier quick out of the blocks as Rally Paraguay shakedown reveals surprise
Rally Paraguay begins in earnest on Friday with eight special stages. The event concludes on Sunday.
Rally Paraguay shakedown results:
| POS | Driver | Car | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Takamoto Katsuta | Toyota | 2:24.4 |
| 2. | Adrien Fourmaux | Hyundai | +0.3 |
| 3. | Ott Tänak | Hyundai | +0.6 |
| 4. | Thierry Neuville | Hyundai | +1.0 |
| 4. | Kalle Rovanperä | Toyota | +1.0 |
| 6. | Elfyn Evans | Toyota | +1.1 |
| 7. | Sebastien Ogier | Toyota | +1.4 |
| 8. | Sami Pajari | Toyota | +1.5 |
| 9. | Josh McErlean | Ford | +1.8 |
| 10. | Gregoire Munster | Ford | +1.9 |
Rally Paraguay itinerary (CET):
Thursday 28 August
14:01 Shakedown: Trinidad (4.92 km)
Friday 29 August
13:03 SS1: Cambyretá 1 (18.70 km)
14:01 SS2: Nueva Alborada 1 (19.25 km)
15:00 SS3: Yerbatera 1 (30.00 km)
16:01 SS4: Autódromo 1 (2.50 km)
17:11 Service (40 min)
18:34 SS5: Cambyretá 2 (18.70 km)
19:32 SS6: Nueva Alborada 2 (19.25 km)
20:31 SS7: Yerbatera 2 (30.00 km)
21:44 SS8: Autódromo 2 (2.50 km)
Saturday 30 August
12:35 SS9: Carmen del Paraná 1 (18.67 km)
13:38 SS10: Artigas 1 (22.73 km)
15:16 SS11: Cantera 1 (13.74 km)
16:35 SS12: Autódromo 3 (2.50 km)
17:35 Service (40 min)
19:05 SS13: Carmen del Paraná 2 (18.67 km)
20:08 SS14: Artigas 2 (22.73 km)
21:46 SS15: Cantera 2 (13.74 km)
Sunday 31 August
13:29 SS16: Bella Vista 1 (21.25 km)
15:05 SS17: Misión Jesuítica Trinidad 1 (18.50 km)
16:02 SS18: Bella Vista 2 (21.25 km)
18:15 SS19: Misión Jesuítica Trinidad 2 (18.50 km) *Power Stage
