Sami Pajari strengthened his grip on Rally Paraguay on Saturday, extending his lead to 25.1 seconds after another demanding day across nine stages. While the Toyota driver focused on avoiding trouble and managing increasingly difficult conditions, Adrien Fourmaux produced a remarkable charge to put himself within striking distance of Elfyn Evans for third place.
Pajari started the day with an 11.9 second advantage over Hayden Paddon and steadily increased the gap despite several moments of concern. The Finn damaged the rear wing of his GR Yaris Rally1 after running wide into a ditch on Hohenau, before another overshoot on Bella Vista provided a further scare. Neither incident prevented him from maintaining control of the rally.
Saturday’s conditions also proved very different from what many crews had anticipated. Rain had been forecast, leading several teams to prepare for a wet and slippery day, but the opening stages remained largely dry. As the roads became more abrasive and grip levels continued to change, tyre management became increasingly important.
Pajari reached midday service with 22.8 seconds in hand and, following repairs to the damaged rear wing, continued to build his advantage during the afternoon. He completed the final Encarnación Costanera super special without incident despite the increasingly greasy mixed-surface roads, ending the day comfortably at the head of the field.
For Paddon, Saturday was about consolidation rather than repeating the pace that had briefly put him into the lead on Friday. The Hyundai driver remained composed through the changing conditions and avoided the tyre problems that had affected him during the opening leg. He now holds second place, 32.2 seconds ahead of Evans.
The fight for third, however, has become one of the closest battles of the rally. Adrien Fourmaux produced an exceptional Saturday, winning five of the day’s nine stages. Starting the morning more than 55 seconds behind Evans, the Hyundai driver gradually dismantled the championship leader’s advantage. Victories on Bella Vista Sur and Hohenau were followed by three consecutive afternoon stage wins, bringing Fourmaux to within 16 seconds of Evans by SS15. The Frenchman continued his charge on the final super special, gaining another 9.8 seconds over Evans. As a result, only 3.3 seconds now separate the pair with five stages remaining.
Further down the order, Oliver Solberg moved into fifth after Josh McErlean lost time on the final test by running wide and hitting roadside advertising. Solberg now holds a narrow 6.3 second advantage over the M-Sport driver.
Home favourite Diego Domínguez remains seventh overall and continues to lead WRC2. His Saturday was not without its own unusual drama, as he briefly had to continue without his glasses after leaving them on the roof of his car. A replacement pair was fortunately sourced during midday service, allowing him to continue his strong run in front of the Paraguayan fans.
Jon Armstrong sits eighth, followed by WRC2 contenders Gus Greensmith and Fau Zaldivar, who complete the top ten.
With just five stages and 68.16 competitive kilometres remaining, Pajari is now within touching distance of a remarkable third consecutive WRC victory. However, with the battles behind him still extremely close and Rally Paraguay having already demonstrated how quickly fortunes can change, Sunday’s finale could yet provide another twist.
Standings after Saturday
