Competing in Toyota’s new Rally2 car, Pajari led the WRC2 class from the opening day and never relinquished his top spot.
Pajari eventually secured his first win of the season with a margin of over half a minute ahead of Frenchman Yohan Rossel, who leads the WRC2 points standings.
“This was a big success after the disappointment in Portugal,” Pajari referred to the previous event where he ruined his rally on the first special stage and crashed out on the final day.
“The team did a great job, and the car worked perfectly. We are ready to fight for victory in every event now. This is a great way to continue,” Pajari added, expressing his gratitude to the Printsport team.
Pajari had nearly a minute’s lead in his class by the end of Saturday. On Sunday, he only needed to secure his top position.
“Today went surprisingly well. I thought it might be a long day, but I got into a good rhythm. The Power Stage was in pretty rough condition, so we took it very carefully,” Pajari said.
It can be said that Rally Sardinia was the most impressive performance of Pajari’s career in the WRC. Leading from the start and pulling away from the rest.
“It wasn’t a bad weekend at all, I have to be very satisfied. The car’s development has progressed significantly over the past few months. That bodes very well for the future. This isn’t just about the driver; it’s the work of the entire team,” Pajari emphasised.
This season, the Finnish hopeful has secured one win and one second place in the WRC2 category. In the overall standings, Pajari has risen to third place in the class.
And most importantly, Pajari achieved his first class victory in the Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 car.
“It makes things easier. At the start of the season, it was a nervous situation, driving a new car that hadn’t been driven before. It’s always a bit of a question mark how fast the car will be. But the confidence has been high all along, and this result shows that we can be fast,” Pajari commented.
Pajari had a clear plan for the evening in Alghero:
“Bottoms up.”
Pajari will also participate in the next WRC event, which takes place in Poland at the end of June.
