Rally Paraguay: Tyre Casino of Catastrophe

Friday's action at Rally Paraguay was marked by an extraordinary number of tyre issues and crashes, leaving competitors surprised by the day's events. Many drivers described the unpredictable tyre failures as akin to playing a casino, highlighting the extreme challenge posed by the stages. Even championship leader Elfyn Evans suffered tyre delaminations that cost him the lead.

Hankook, the tyre manufacturer, explained that the high wear rates and unexpected abrasiveness of the roads, combined with hot conditions and long stages, led to the tyre failures. They acknowledged that the conditions were more aggressive than anticipated, impacting even new tyres. The manufacturer is investigating the issues to understand them better.