Pajari made his debut in the WRC top category with Toyota’s Rally1 car last weekend. Despite a sluggish start, the Finnish driver’s performance was commendable.
On Friday morning, Pajari had a minor collision on the Laukaa special stage, but he significantly improved by the afternoon, achieving his first fastest stage time in Ruuhimäki.
Pajari’s performance remained impressive throughout the rally, ultimately finishing in fourth place – a remarkable achievement in a challenging competition.
Notably, from Friday afternoon onwards, Pajari consistently posted competitive times, matching the pace of M-Sport Ford’s Adrien Fourmaux, who finished third.
“Although the start wasn’t ideal, we recovered well from the situation. We minimized losses and pulled ourselves together, making a complete turnaround from how things initially went,” Pajari analysed.
Pajari’s performance sparked immediate speculation about when the Finnish hopeful might next drive a full-fledged Rally1 car. If it were up to Pajari, the wait wouldn’t be long.
“The urge is really strong. That kind of car is incredibly enjoyable to drive. In a race like this, you can only enjoy it, and it’s unbelievable what it’s like with those cars. It’s insanely cool,” Pajari enthused.
After the Rally Finland, there were no immediate plans for Pajari’s continuation. Instead, he encouraged people to pressure Jari-Matti Latvala, the team principal, to give him the next opportunity.
“I could drive this kind of car anytime,” Pajari laughed.
