Hayden Paddon leads WRC Paraguay as drivers face tough conditions
Autosport • 1 min read • Latest: Aug 28, 2026, 4:57 PM
Last updated Aug 28, 2026
Hyundai’s Hayden Paddon leads the Rally Paraguay at the World Rally Championship, marking his first lead since Portugal in 2018. Paddon and co-driver John Kennard are the only Rally1 crew that managed to avoid issues during a challenging morning that saw multiple retirements across four stages. Competitors including Takamoto Katsuta and Thierry Neuville encountered difficulties, impacting their performances significantly. As the rally continues, Paddon seeks to maintain his advantage amidst fierce competition.
- •Paddon leads Rally Paraguay after several retirements in Rally1.
- •Only Paddon and co-driver Kennard avoided trouble this morning.
- •Multiple top competitors faced issues, affecting their standings.
- •This marks Paddon's first lead in a WRC event since 2018.
- •The event continues as crews adapt to challenging conditions.
- 4:57 PMAutosport — WRC Paraguay: Paddon leads as brutal morning forces several retirements
- 4:56 PMMotorsport.com — WRC Paraguay: Hayden Paddon leads as brutal morning forces several retirements
"Hyundai’s Hayden Paddon led a World Rally Championship event for the first time since Portugal 2018 after emerging from a brutal morning at Rally Paraguay that decimated the Rally1 field. Paddon and co-driver John Kennard were the only Rally1 crew to avoid trouble across four stages that resulted in Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta, Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville and reigning world champion ...Keep reading
"Hyundai’s Hayden Paddon led a World Rally Championship event for the first time since Portugal 2018 after emerging from a brutal morning at Rally Paraguay that decimated the Rally1 field. Paddon and co-driver John Kennard were the only Rally1 crew to avoid trouble across four stages that resulted in Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta, Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville and reigning world champion ...Keep reading
Sources
External links- AutosportAug 28, 2026, 4:57 PMWRC Paraguay: Paddon leads as brutal morning forces several retirements
Hyundai’s Hayden Paddon led a World Rally Championship event for the first time since Portugal 2018 after emerging from a brutal morning at Rally Paraguay that decimated the Rally1 field. Paddon and co-driver John Kennard were the only Rally1 crew to avoid trouble across four stages that resulted in Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta, Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville and reigning world champion ...Keep reading
- Motorsport.comAug 28, 2026, 4:56 PMWRC Paraguay: Hayden Paddon leads as brutal morning forces several retirements
Hyundai’s Hayden Paddon led a World Rally Championship event for the first time since Portugal 2018 after emerging from a brutal morning at Rally Paraguay that decimated the Rally1 field. Paddon and co-driver John Kennard were the only Rally1 crew to avoid trouble across four stages that resulted in Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta, Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville and reigning world champion ...Keep reading
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