Rovanpera Leads WRC Rally Paraguay After Fourmaux Puncture

Kalle Rovanpera claimed an unexpected overnight lead at the Rally Paraguay after Hyundai’s Adrien Fourmaux suffered a puncture late in the penultimate stage, which cost him nearly 20 seconds and dashed his chances of victory. Fourmaux had dominated much of the day and seemed poised for a maiden WRC win before the setback handed the lead to Rovanpera, who admitted that despite leading, his performance was below expectations. Ott Tänak, also driving for Hyundai, closely followed in third place, just half a second behind Fourmaux, while Sébastien Ogier staged a notable recovery from an earlier puncture to hold fourth. The rally’s challenging conditions, including rough terrain and heavy landings, caught many drivers off guard, with incidents affecting competitors such as Josh McErlean and Gregoire Munster. The competition remains intense and unpredictable, with Rovanpera needing to improve his pace to maintain his lead against a determined field in Paraguay’s WRC debut. The battle continues to unfold as drivers adapt to the demanding South American stages.