Sami Pajari

Pajari started his rally career at just 16 years old, behind the wheel of an Opel Astra. In the 2019 season, Pajari participated for the first time in the Finnish Rally Championship series, driving a front-wheel-drive Ford Fiesta R2 and immediately won the SM3 class Finnish Championship. This achievement also earned him the Flying Finn Future Star title, allowing the then 17-year-old promising driver to participate in his first World Rally Championship event in Finland. However, the race ended in a retirement on Saturday night.

In the 2020 season, Pajari competed in the WRC’s junior class and finished in third place. He also claimed another medal in the SM3 class, driving to a silver finish. The year 2021 was Pajari’s breakthrough season when the young man won the JWRC class championship, becoming the first Finnish driver to do so in history.

In 2022, Pajari finished third in both the JWRC and WRC3 classes and also competed in his first races in a Rally2 car.

The Finn drove his first full season in the WRC2 series in 2023. Throughout the season, Pajari frequently showcased his fast pace and promising performances. The season bore fruit, and Pajari managed to win his first WRC2 event in Finland. He was the top Finnish driver in the WRC2 class and finished the series in seventh place in the overall standings.