› Nikolay Gryazin/Konstantin Aleksandrov finish the FIA World Rally Championship’s newest addition third in WRC2 as highest-placed Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 crew.
› Local hero Fabrizio Zaldivar and Italian co-driver Marcelo Der Ohannesian lead a group of five more Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 crews to finish inside the WRC2 top 10.
› WRC2 Challenger podium features three Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 crews with Nikolay Gryazin and navigator Konstantin Aleksandrov as winners.
Encarnación (PRY), 1 September 2025 – During Rally del Paraguay, the lead in WRC2 changed five times. After the 19 stages of the new FIA World Rally Championship event, Nikolay Gryazin and co-driver Konstantin Aleksandrov were the only Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 crew to climb onto the WRC2 podium. They also won the WRC2 Challenger classification.
Swedish-British pairing Oliver Solberg/Elliott Edmondson and Paraguayan-Spanish duo Diego Domínguez/Rogelio Peñate both lead WRC2 on Friday, until they experienced problems. Yohan Rossel/Arnaud Dunand from France seized the opportunity and finished the first leg as category leaders. Toksport WRT’s Nikolay Gryazin and co-driver Konstantin Aleksandrov followed in second, only 9.1 seconds behind.
As soon as the Saturday leg started, the Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 crew conquered the WRC2 lead. But only for four stages. “In one corner, something was sticking out. I couldn't avoid it and the front left tyre immediately lost all the air. We had to stop and change it,” reported Nikolay Gryazin after losing 1:43.5 minutes in SS14. Bad luck for one side of the Toksport WRT camp, good fortune for the other: Following their teammates’ trouble, Robert Virves and co-driver Jakko Viilo returned to Encarnación as the overnight leaders on Saturday.
The final leg on Sunday was affected by intermittent rain showers, making road conditions even more difficult. Right after the restart, it was Robert Virves’ turn to experience two mishaps. “In one slippery place, we hit a bank and did a 180-degree spin on two wheels into a ditch. Luckily, we got out,” said the Estonian, describing the moment when they lost the WRC2 lead to Oliver Solberg/Elliott Edmondson. Two stages later, a puncture compounded the misery for Robert Virves and Jakko Viilo. With the necessary tyre change, the Estonian pairing lost another two minutes. The WRC2 winners of Rally Estonia eventually finished Rally del Paraguay fifth in WRC2. “We came to this rally to finish and gain experience. The pace has been reasonable and we have ideas where to improve,” Robert Virves took it philosophically. The 25-year-old was out of the WRC2 title fight already before the start.
Nikolay Gryazin, on the other hand, had come to Paraguay to boost his title chances. After the early delay, he eventually recovered to third position in the WRC2 standings. With the 15 championship points from Paraguay, Gryazin climbs to 13th position overall. However, he can still score points in four more events, whereas the leading duo, Oliver Solberg and Yohan Rossel, only have one opportunity left.
Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 crews took the top four positions in the WRC2 Challenger classification: Victory went to Nikolay Gryazin/Konstantin Aleksandrov. Fabrizio Zaldivar/Marcelo Der Ohannesian and Robert Virves/Jakko Viilo joined them on the podium. Additionally, Miguel Zaldivar Senior/Rubén García won the WRC Masters Cup classification.
Fabrizio Zaldivar took the honours of finishing as highest-placed local driver. Sharing a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 with Italian co-driver Marcelo Der Ohannesian, the 24-year-old Paraguayan finished tenth in the overall standings and fourth in WRC2. „Not bad, but we expected more,“, Fabrizio Zaldivar admitted. „But overall I'm happy.“
He was followed home in the WRC2 classification by his compatriots Augusto Bestard/Borja Rozada in sixth, Franco Pappalardo/Juan Pablo Carrera in eighth and his father Miguel Zaldivar Senior and co-driver Rubén García in ninth. In total, six Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 crews finished inside the WRC2 top 10.
Before Rally del Paraguay, Gus Greensmith was the highest-placed Škoda driver in the WRC2 overall standings. However, he finished the event outside the points-scoring positions. The Englishman and Swedish co-driver, Jonas Andersson, had to retire on Friday when a heavy landing after one of the rally’s many jumps damaged the suspension. After restarting on Saturday, they eventually finished in 15th position. As a consequence, Greensmith fell back behind Robert Virves in the WRC2 overall standings. “Despite the bad result, I loved every second. Now, Rally Chile is championship critical, but I like that,“ Greensmith looked ahead to the next WRC event.
In less than two weeks the WRC2 teams start their engines again. Rally Chile from 11 to 14 September 2025 is the next round of the FIA World Rally Championship.
Number of the Rally: 2
Two Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 lead Rally del Paraguay in WRC2, both entered by team Toksport WRT. From SS10 to SS13 Nikolay Gryazin and co-driver Konstantin Aleksandrov held the top spot. Robert Virves/Jakko Viilo were listed as leaders after stages 14 and 15.
Rally del Paraguay (PRY), 28 – 31 August 2025, Result WRC2
1 Oliver Solberg/Elliott Edmondson (SWE/GBR), Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, 3:07:00.4 hours
2 Yohan Rossel/Arnaud Dunand (FRA/FRA), Citroën C3 Rally2, +22.5 seconds
3 Nikolay Gryazin/Konstantin Aleksandrov (BUL/KGZ), Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, +1:54.4 minutes
4 Fabrizio Zaldivar/Marcelo Der Ohannesian (PRY/ITA), Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, +2:23.2 minutes
5 Robert Virves/Jakko Viilo (EST/EST), Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, +2:32.2 minutes
6 Augusto Bestard/Borja Rozada (PRY/ESP), Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, +6:33.2 minutes
Standings WRC2/Drivers (after 10 of 14 rallies)
1 Oliver Solberg (SWE), Toyota, 110 points
2 Yohan Rossel (FRA), Citroën, 99 points
3 Roope Korhonen (FIN), Toyota, 69 points
4 Robert Virves (EST), Škoda, 60 points
5 Gus Greensmith (GBR), Škoda, 57 points
Standings WRC2/Teams (after 10 of 14 rallies)
1 PH Sport, Citroën, 178 points
2 Toksport WRT, Škoda, 173 points
3 Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT NG, Toyota, 89 points
4 Sarrazin Motorsport-Iron Lynx, Citroën, 64 points
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