A new South American race has been added to next season’s schedule.
Paraguay will become the 38th country to host the FIA World Rally Championship when the South American country joins in 2025*.
The announcement was made by President Santiago Peña in the Paraguayan capital Asuncion on Saturday evening during the opening ceremony of the Petrobras Rally Transchaco 2024, the third round of the Paraguayan national championship.
“Paraguay is big and the world is in the process of discovering us. Hosting a world-class event like the WRC is another way to show the world our greatness,” said President Peña.
The significant multi-year deal fulfills the WRC promoter’s long-standing ambition to return to South America for two events each year.
Paraguay boasts a strong rallying tradition, with the sport thriving in the heart of South America. Gustavo Saba has featured regularly in the WRC at Argentine rounds throughout the 2010s, and more recently Fabrizio Zaldivar has established himself as a WRC2 contender and Diego Dominguez is a candidate for the junior WRC and WRC3 titles. One of them. Paraguayan drivers have also won the last 11 races of the FIA CODASUR South American Rally Championship.
The WRC promoter’s proactive approach to creating a more sustainable path for the future of rallying has played a key role in Paraguay’s bid to participate in the championship. Paraguay generates 100% of its grid power from sustainable sources, reflecting the WRC’s sustainable ethos that all cars run on 100% fossil-free fuel.
“We have been in discussions with Paraguay for a number of years now and we are very pleased to see this agreement,” said WRC Senior Events Director Simon Larkin, who was on hand to mark the special announcement.
“There is no doubt about the country’s passion for gathering and we want to convey this passion and Paraguay’s stunning landscapes to the world.”
FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem said: “Welcoming Paraguay to the FIA World Rally Championship in 2025 is a fantastic opportunity to explore new horizons for the series and all stakeholders.
“I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my friend Hugo R. Mersan Galli, President of Touring y Automóvil Club Paraguayo, and his team, for their efforts in the development of our sport, the organizers of the Paraguay Rally and the President of Paraguay. We would like to thank Mr. Santiago Peña of Paraguay for his valuable support.”
Based in the touristic southern city of Encarnacion on the Paraná River, the rally will welcome scores of fans from across the South American continent, as well as beyond Argentina’s borders. Every year the FIA CODASUR South American Rally Championship takes place with stages throughout the Itapúa region, held on the red gravel roads that run parallel to the stunning Paraná River.
The exact date will be confirmed later.
*Subject to approval by the World Motorsports Council
