After back-to-back podiums, Pajari is challenging the WRC elite

Oliver Solberg has been grabbing the early-season headlines in his first full campaign in Toyota’s World Rally Championship roster. But right behind the title-chasing Swede, factory teammate Sami Pajari believes he’s “getting to a place where he can basically fight with anyone in any condition” after taking back-to-back podium finishes for the first time in the WRC.

Pajari took a third career WRC podium after he and co-driver Marko Salminen ended a grueling Safari Rally Kenya in third (above). The 24-year-old Finn, who’s just three rallies into his second season in a factory Toyota GR Yaris Rally1, finished behind teammate and first-time WRC winner Takamoto Katsuta and Hyundai’s Adrien Fourmaux on the African classic.

The 2024 champion in the WRC’s second-tier WRC2 class, Pajari delivered arguably his best top-class drive to date in Kenya, showcasing both speed and the ability to traverse some of the toughest conditions without incurring terminal mechanical issues on his GR Yaris. He racked up five special stage wins during the rain- and mud-filled event, second only to another factory Toyota driver, nine-time and reigning WRC champ Sebastien Ogier, who claimed seven.

All three of Pajari’s overall podiums have come in the last five WRC events. Last season, he finished third on the slippery asphalt of Rally Japan, then fourth on the rocks and sand of the Saudi Arabian season-closer. A retirement in 2026’s season-starting Monte Carlo Rally was followed by third in the snow of Rally Sweden last month, with the Safari podium making it eight top-six finishes across the last 10 WRC events.

Pajari has already eclipsed his tally of stage wins from last year after only three 2026 starts, and that speed and form have left him confident that he can now take the fight to the WRC’s elite on a regular basis – although he remains conscious that there’s still room for improvement.

“It’s going quite well recently, and I must be super happy for that,” says Pajari (above). “At the same time, I still feel there is room to improve. We have finished third three times now, so there are two more steps to climb and I hope at some point we can claim those places as well.”

“[Safari Rally Kenya] is a really unique rally and it’s nice to finish on the podium, but also at the same time we had those five stage wins, so it was not only about slowly getting through the rally, we had some quick pace. I’m happy from both sides.

“Of course, we are there to fight with anybody and we have taken some stage wins on many different types of rallies now, and I think we are getting to the place where we can say that, yes, we can basically fight with anyone in any condition. We try to do the best we can, otherwise we wouldn’t be here.”

Following his podium finish in Kenya, Pajari was back behind the wheel in Portugal last week, helping Toyota to develop its prototype car for the WRC’s major revamp of the top-class’s technical regulations in 2027.

Next up for the flying Finn is an altogether different challenge as the WRC returns to asphalt in Croatia, which hosts the fourth round of the championship from April 9-12 after a one-year absence from the calendar. With the route undergoing a significant overhaul, most of the stages will be new to the crews, making for a level playing field and, perhaps, a chance for Pajari to take another step toward a first WRC win.

Catch WRC action from all rounds of the 2026 FIA World Rally Championship on RACER Network and the RACER+ App. Next up, the latest WRC Magazine Show episode, setting the scene for Rally Croatia, premieres Thursday, April 9 at 10.30pm ET on the RACER Network.

And tune in on Monday, April 13 at 9.00PM ET for full highlights from Rally Croatia. It’s the WRC’s first all-asphalt round of the season, so get set for high-speed action on the coastal roads and mountain passes around host-city Rijeka.

Bundle and save to get 6 print issues of RACER Magazine, unlimited digital access to the RACER archive, and 24/7 motorsports streaming on the RACER+ App for just $129.99 for one year. CLICK HERE and subscribe now for the ultimate motorsports fan experience.