‘It’s Simply Amazing’ — Pajari Reacts to Memorable Rally Finland Success

Sami Pajari delivered one of the most memorable performances of his career on Sunday after sealing an emotional victory at Secto Rally Finland, completing a remarkable back-to-back winning streak that has firmly established the young Finn among the FIA World Rally Championship’s brightest stars.

Only two weeks after celebrating his maiden WRC victory in Estonia, Pajari produced another composed and commanding drive on home soil to lead Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT2 to a memorable one-two finish. The triumph carried even greater significance as it marked the 200th World Rally Championship victory by a Finnish driver, adding another historic chapter to the country’s rich rally heritage.

The 24-year-old entered Sunday’s final stages with a comfortable 46.4-second advantage and resisted any temptation to chase additional points in the Super Sunday classification or the Wolf Power Stage. Instead, Pajari focused entirely on bringing the car home safely, eventually crossing the finish line 26.7 seconds ahead of Toyota teammate Oliver Solberg after the demanding Himos–Jämsä test.

“I don’t know what to say,” Pajari admitted. “It was a big thing to take the win in Estonia, but a home win is always something special.

“It has not always been too easy for the Finns, but after one really crazy rally, we made it. A big thanks, first of all, to the team, but also to all the fans for all the support. It’s simply amazing. Kiitos paljon – thank you, everyone!”

The emotion surrounding the victory was evident moments after the finish, where Finnish rally legend Ari Vatanen welcomed Pajari at the stop line. It was a symbolic meeting between two generations of Finnish rally stars, with Pajari now writing his own place in the country’s illustrious motorsport history.

Historic Success for Finland and Toyota

Pajari’s latest victory was significant far beyond the championship standings. By following his breakthrough triumph in Estonia with another win in Finland, he became the first Finnish driver since Kalle Rovanperä in 2024 to claim consecutive WRC victories.

The success also ensured Finland celebrated home winners in successive editions of Rally Finland after Rovanperä’s victory in 2025. It is the first time the feat has been achieved since Jari-Matti Latvala won in both 2014 and 2015, while Pajari and Rovanperä became the first different Finnish drivers to accomplish it in consecutive years since Mikko Hirvonen and Latvala between 2009 and 2010.

Toyota enjoyed an equally memorable weekend as the Japanese manufacturer completed a dominant one-two-three finish. The result handed Toyota its eighth Rally Finland victory in the last nine editions and its 11th win overall during the WRC era, moving it ahead of Ford as the most successful manufacturer in the history of the championship’s Finnish round.

Pajari’s route to victory had not been entirely straightforward. He inherited the rally lead on Saturday afternoon after long-time pacesetter Sébastien Ogier crashed heavily on the Västilä stage while chasing another Rally Finland success. Fortunately, both Ogier and stand-in co-driver Julien Ingrassia exited their Toyota under their own power before undergoing precautionary medical examinations, which later returned positive results.

Toyota Dominance Shapes Championship Battle

Oliver Solberg once again underlined why he is regarded as one of rallying’s most exciting young talents despite battling severe discomfort throughout Sunday’s stages. The Swede endured significant back pain following a heavy landing earlier in the rally but still managed to win Sunday’s opening test before securing second place overall.

Medical treatment before the final stage helped Solberg continue, and he produced another remarkable effort by matching Elfyn Evans’ stage time to within thousandths of a second. His runner-up finish completed the same Toyota one-two achieved in Estonia, highlighting the manufacturer’s exceptional form.

Championship leader Elfyn Evans produced one of the weekend’s biggest recovery drives to secure the final podium position after suffering a dramatic rollover on Saturday. His heavily damaged Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 appeared unlikely to continue until spectators returned the car to the road, allowing Toyota mechanics to complete extensive repairs during the midday service break.

Evans rewarded those efforts by claiming victory on the rally-ending Wolf Power Stage, narrowly edging Solberg by just 0.025 seconds while finishing one minute and 19.5 seconds behind Pajari overall.

“It was a surreal set of circumstances,” Evans reflected. “More than anything, we owe thanks to the guys who fixed the car yesterday lunchtime. We always know we can depend on those guys.”

The Welshman’s recovery proved vital in the championship race as he extended his lead to 30 points over Pajari despite the Finn collecting maximum points for the overall victory. Takamoto Katsuta moved into third in the standings, while Solberg climbed to fourth following another outstanding weekend.

Hyundai’s Adrien Fourmaux finished fourth after torrential rain on Friday had effectively ended his hopes of fighting for victory. Although he pushed hard throughout Sunday’s stages, he eventually finished 16.4 seconds behind Evans.

Thierry Neuville inherited fifth position after Katsuta suffered heartbreak on the Wolf Power Stage. The Japanese driver struck a tree during the final test, heavily damaging the front of his Toyota before limping to the finish and dropping to sixth overall.

Josh McErlean guided his M-Sport Ford Puma Rally1 to seventh place, producing another solid performance in difficult conditions, while former WRC star Jari-Matti Latvala completed the top eight and celebrated victory in the RC2 category.

Elsewhere, Robert Virves maintained his perfect WRC2 campaign by collecting a fourth victory from four starts this season after overnight class leader Teemu Suninen received a 30-second penalty.

Pajari’s latest triumph represents more than just another rally victory. Within the space of two events, he has transformed from an emerging talent into a genuine championship contender capable of handling immense pressure on the sport’s biggest stages. Winning at home in front of passionate Finnish supporters, while simultaneously delivering a landmark 200th WRC victory for his country, ensures this success will be remembered for years to come.

Momentum now firmly belongs to Pajari as the World Rally Championship heads into its summer break. Confidence inside the Toyota camp is soaring after consecutive dominant performances, and the Finn will arrive at the next round believing another victory is well within reach.

The championship resumes later this month at Rally del Paraguay from August 27 to 30, where Pajari will attempt to continue the finest run of his WRC career and further strengthen his growing reputation as one of rallying’s newest stars.