Diego Domínguez Bejarano has secured a historic victory for Paraguayan motorsport, winning the World Rally Championship 2 (WRC2) category at the 2026 Rally of Paraguay. Alongside Spanish co-driver Rogelio Peñate, Domínguez became the first Paraguayan driver to win the category on home soil, marking a significant milestone for the nation’s sporting achievements. The FIA WRC2 is a support championship of the World Rally Championship (WRC).
The Paraguayan driver delivered a commanding performance throughout the event, which is noted for its challenging red-earth stages in the department of Itapúa. Supported by a large crowd of local fans, family, and friends, especially during Sunday’s final Power Stage on 30 August, Domínguez clinched the landmark victory, cementing his place in the country’s rally history.
A momentous achievement on home turf
The win represents a significant step up for Domínguez, who previously tasted international success by winning the WRC3 category at the Rally of Chile in 2024. This latest triumph in the higher-tier WRC2 class, however, is particularly noteworthy for having been achieved in front of his home supporters. The victory is a highlight of the second edition of Rally Paraguay as a World Rally Championship event.
“The dream of my life, Rogelio’s dream, the team’s dream and the dream of an entire country…”, Diego Domínguez responded full of emotion. “I have no words, only gratitude and pride in being Paraguayan and living in a country that breathes and lives for this passion.”
In addition to their class victory, the duo of Domínguez and Peñate also achieved an impressive seventh place in the rally’s overall general classification. This placed them among the top competitors in a field that includes the premier Rally1 cars.
Strong Paraguayan presence on the podium
The success for local drivers was further amplified by the performance of Alejandro Galanti and Marcelo Toyotoshi. The Paraguayan pair secured third place on the WRC2 podium, ensuring two national flags were flown during the category’s celebrations. Their strong showing also earned them ninth position in the overall rally standings.
The collective results underscore a powerful performance from the Paraguayan contingent in one of the most demanding events on the international motorsport calendar. Domínguez’s historic win, coupled with a double podium, provided a memorable conclusion to the event for the passionate local fanbase in Encarnación.
Finnish WRC victory
Toyota Gazoo Racing’s 24-year-old Finnish driver Sami Pajari claimed victory at the Rally of Paraguay 2026, securing his third consecutive win of the season in the World Rally Championship (WRC). Pajari finished first with a healthy margin over Hayden Paddon, while Adrien Fourmaux completed the podium.
With this third WRC victory, following his wins in Estonia and Finland, Pajari has moved into second place in the championship standings with 196 points, closing the gap on Elfyn Evans, who leads with 216 points. Three rounds of the World Rally Championship remain: Chile, Italy, and Saudi Arabia. Oliver Solberg, who encountered several problems during this year’s Rally Paraguay, sits third in the standings with 175 points.
