Roope Korhonen, WRC3 champion without having driven in Chile

Le Rally of Chile allowed Toyota to glean the Manufacturers' crown in the World Rally Championship (WRC) but the WRC3 title was also awarded in South America, following an improbable scenario.

Only two drivers had attempted the adventure in this event, which has been absent from the world calendar for 4 years. The 2023 Junior WRC vice-champion, Diego Dominguez, was the only one who could worry leader Roope Korhonen in Chile. The latter was conspicuous by his absence, as he took part in a round of the Finnish Rally Championship in a Volkswagen Polo GTI R5.

In the absence of the leader in WRC3, Diego Dominguez absolutely had to score the 25 points for the category victory to stay in the match. The Paraguayan had done the hardest part, building a colossal lead of 3 minutes over his pursuer Eduardo Castro, when his management gave up a few stages from the goal on Sunday morning.

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After losing a wheel in the incident, Diego Dominguez and his Spanish co-driver Rogelio Peñate attempted to carry out makeshift repairs on the side of the road, guided by knowledgeable fans present on site. The duo remarkably managed to repair their Fiesta, but both men then learned that they had arrived at the start of the next stage outside the allotted time.

Forced to retire, Diego Dominguez left the title WRC3 to Roope Korhonen. The 25-year-old Finn has won the category at every appearance on the world stage this season (Sweden, Portugal, Sardinia and Estonia). He plans to debut at the next level, WRC2, at the Central European Rally (October 27-29).