Sami Pajari, a rising star in the World Rally Championship, exceeded expectations by securing his first stage win on his WRC debut at Rally Finland. Despite facing challenges during Friday’s opening stage, where he spun and damaged his rear wing, Pajari managed to rally back and set an impressive pace in the afternoon with a fully repaired car.
Clocking the second fastest time on stage six, Pajari went on to claim the stage nine win, beating his teammate Sebastien Ogier by 0.5s. Reflecting on his achievement, Pajari expressed his surprise and joy at the unexpected stage win. He credited his success to the natural flow of speed in familiar conditions and his enjoyment of the clean drive on the Ruuhimaki stage.
Pajari’s accomplishment is even more remarkable when considering that it took current rally leader Kalle Rovanpera 25 attempts to secure his first WRC stage win. Only Ogier managed to achieve a fastest time in the top class quicker than Pajari when he won his second-ever stage in the top tier back in 2008. This success comes on the heels of Martins Sesks’ first WRC stage win in only his second Rally1 appearance.
Teammate Rovanpera commended Pajari for his impressive performance, especially on the challenging Ruuhimaki stage, emphasizing the significance of achieving a stage win in his debut rally with a top car. Toyota’s sporting director, Kaj Lindstrom, praised Pajari’s maturity in handling the setbacks he faced during the rally, highlighting his ability to reset and deliver a strong performance in the afternoon.
Lindstrom described Pajari’s stage win as the “cherry on the cake” and emphasized the importance of witnessing new talents like Pajari and Sesks making their mark on the WRC stage. The young driver’s ability to recover from early difficulties and showcase his skills under pressure signals a promising future in the world of rally racing.