Throughout the recently concluded World Rally Championship season, Pajari repeatedly said he was only on a learning journey in the top class, and the Finn was not often ready to state any kind of result targets – at least not out loud.
However, the first podium finish of his career, achieved at Rally Japan, seemed to change everything. At Rally Saudi Arabia, Pajari was even in the fight for victory for a long time, until he suffered the same fate as so many others – a puncture robbed him of the chance to battle for the win.
Pajari was clearly disappointed after the event, even though he eventually finished fourth in an extremely difficult rally and showed everyone that he is capable of fighting for top results in the top class as well.
“It was certainly a challenging rally, I have to say. Perhaps we could start with the fact that, just like in Japan, we took our first podium – that was the step we aimed for. And of course, after that, the next goal is to win a rally,” Pajari said.
“This time we drove really well, the pace was basically there the whole time. Nothing had been decided yet, but we were very much in the game, had the problems not arisen,” Pajari lamented.
Pajari made it perfectly clear that he had not come to Saudi Arabia for fourth place. That is the talk of champions.
“I know we were not the only ones who had difficulties, but still: when you are hungry for your first win, you really want to take it,” Pajari emphasised firmly.
Rally Saudi Arabia provided more than enough drama and incidents. However, the events of the rally somewhat passed Pajari by.
“It’s a bit shame to say this, but I do not always follow the results so closely between stages. Of course I know how the previous day went, but I do not constantly look at the standings at every moment. I usually focus above all on the next special stage and preparing for it. But of course this was another entry in the book,” he noted.
