After Friday’s leg, the Finnish driver sits in sixth place overall. His day got off to a rough start with a puncture on the opening stage, but in the afternoon, things started to come together.
“It went pretty well. No major issues in the afternoon. We caught up to one driver on the first stage of the loop, and there was some dust. We also saw animals. Those things probably didn’t cause big time losses, but a few seconds here and there,” Pajari explained.
“I have to be really happy with the afternoon, especially. There were some really good stage times, and we’re sticking to the same strategy all the way. We’re not overdriving anywhere. You can clearly see the progress we’ve made in that sense.”
At best, Pajari set the fourth-fastest time on a stage. There’s clearly been progress, but two full days of driving still lie ahead.
“Of course, it feels great. It’s nice to see it for myself, too, but in this sport, the team also plays a big role. It’s great to show that things are, so to speak, under control. This is a good place to continue from,” Pajari said.
“I haven’t been pushing any harder, but maybe I’ve learned to read the conditions better. I’m starting to understand where you can push and where you need to take it easy. In that sense, I’m happy. If I can continue like this, that would be fantastic.”
On Saturday, six special stages await in Kenya, totalling nearly 150 kilometres. The rally concludes on Sunday.
