Reported
Sami Pajari Seeks answers After challenging World Rally Championship event
Finnish driver Sami Pajari's title hopes face setback after Rally Chile struggles, prompting review of performance despite previous wins.
Pajari’s Chilean Struggles Prompt Performance Review
Finnish driver Sami Pajari is reportedly undertaking a comprehensive analysis of his performance following a challenging showing at Rally Chile, where he struggled to maintain his previous championship-contending pace. The Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT2 driver, paired with co-driver Marko Salminen in the Toyota GR Yaris Rally1, finished fifth in Chile, 1 minute and 15.5 seconds behind his teammate Oliver Solberg, according to Motorsport.com. This result represents a significant deviation from his recent form, which included three consecutive World Rally Championship victories in Estonia, Finland, and Paraguay.
Championship Implications After Chile
Prior to Rally Chile, Pajari was Elfyn Evans's closest challenger in the driver standings, trailing by just 20 points with four rounds remaining in the 2026 World Rally Championship season. His performance in Chile, however, has likely widened this gap, especially as Evans secured second place in the event, minimizing his own potential points loss. Motorsport.com reported that Pajari encountered difficulties from the outset, losing 17.8 seconds in Friday’s opening stage due to wet and muddy conditions. By Saturday, he was 21.7 seconds off the lead but found himself unable to close the deficit, with road position on dry gravel stages reportedly hampering his efforts.
Driver Seeks Clarity Amidst Setback
Pajari expressed uncertainty regarding the precise reasons for his struggles in Chile, stating that he and his team need to conduct a deeper investigation into the underlying causes of their time loss. He noted that even highly decorated drivers, such as nine-time world champion Sébastien Ogier, do not win every event, acknowledging that fluctuating performance is an inherent aspect of motorsport. Motorsport.com quoted Pajari, who emphasized the importance of understanding the situation and learning from it to improve in future competitions. The Finnish driver also highlighted the potential significance of Sunday’s final four stages in Chile, which offered 10 bonus points, acknowledging that these could be crucial for his championship aspirations despite the competitive fight at the front.
Looking Ahead to Future Rounds
With four rounds still remaining in the 2026 World Rally Championship season, Pajari remains a key contender, currently sitting third in the standings with 171 points, behind Evans (201 points) and Takamoto Katsuta (160 points). While his performance in Chile was a setback, the upcoming events provide further opportunities for him to recover ground. The focus for Pajari and Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT2 will now shift to analyzing the data from Chile and making necessary adjustments to ensure a stronger performance in the remaining races. The unexpected nature of some stages, such as a new and tricky one reported for Sunday in Chile, also presents opportunities for those willing to take calculated risks.
Status And Sources
This story is labelled Reported, which means a newsroom we cite carries this but the people involved have not confirmed it. The rules behind those labels are in the editorial policy, and the desk that published it is Aino Virtanen.
Written from the following reporting. Each link goes to the newsroom's own page, not to an aggregator:
- Motorsport.commotorsport.com
