Pajari is competing for the first time in Toyota’s Rally1 class rally car. His competition in Jyväskylä started off rough on Friday when he damaged his car right in the morning. However, by Friday afternoon, his pace picked up, and he recorded his first fastest time.
His progress continued on Saturday. Pajari was the third fastest driver overall on the longest day of the competition, trailing only the multiple world champions, Toyota’s Kalle Rovanperä and Sebastien Ogier, who are leading the rally.
In fifth place overall, Pajari couldn’t help but smile at the end of the day.
“The feeling is pretty good. We’re clearly making progress, and the car feels better. My confidence in the car is growing. When that happens, you can really let it fly.”
The Ouninpohja stage, driven on Saturday, is considered a good benchmark for rally drivers. On the first run of Ouninpohja, Pajari clocked the third fastest time, and he matched that position on the second run.
“From what I understand, we had the fastest split times on some sections of Ouninpohja during the first run. Those sections are starting to click well.”
These excellent performances have given Pajari a confidence boost. The Finnish hopeful wants to believe that his pace is in the right zone.
“In a way, my confidence is so skewed that I believe I can do it. Hopefully, this isn’t seen as arrogance,” Pajari laughed.
“But if someone else can do it, why can’t I?”
Despite the small mishap on Friday morning, Pajari has made a strong impression in Rally Finland. Finishing fifth in his home rally would be a great showcase for his future. But there are still four special stages left to clear on Sunday.
