SAMI PAJARI CLAIMS BREAKTHROUGH WRC VICTORY AT RALLY ESTONIA

TOYOTA DRIVER BECOMES THE WRC’S 83RD DIFFERENT WINNER AFTER LEADING THE HIGH-SPEED GRAVEL RALLY FROM START TO FINISH

Sami Pajari and co-driver Marko Salminen claimed their maiden FIA World Rally Championship win at Delfi Rally Estonia 2026, completing a commanding start-to-finish performance.

Driving a Hankook-equipped Toyota GR Yaris Rally1, Pajari won 12 stages and finished the Tartu-based gravel rally in 2:31:16.5. He defeated Toyota teammate Oliver Solberg by 19.5 seconds to become the WRC’s 83rd different winner and the 17th Finnish driver to claim an outright world championship victory.

The 24-year-old collected 28 points in Estonia, increasing his season total from 116 to 144. He moves into third place in the provisional championship standings, 33 points behind Toyota teammate and championship leader Elfyn Evans.

“It’s something so amazing, maybe I didn’t really realise what I’ve just done.” — Sami Pajari

Pajari started the two-stage final leg with a 25-second advantage over Solberg. Solberg reduced that gap by only 0.4 seconds on SS17 before winning the 24.39-kilometre Kääriku Wolf Power Stage and topping the Super Sunday standings. Pajari recorded the sixth-fastest Power Stage time, which was sufficient to secure his breakthrough WRC victory.

Solberg and Elliott Edmondson finished second and earned 27 points from the weekend. Adrien Fourmaux and Alexandre Coria completed the podium for Hyundai, 53.8 seconds behind Pajari.

“Sami deserves it. Very happy with my weekend, good points and a good stepping stone for the upcoming events.” — Oliver Solberg

The result represents Finland’s 199th WRC victory. Pajari also became the third driver after Kalle Rovanperä in 2021 and Solberg in 2025 to register a maiden WRC win in Estonia. It was his sixth podium finish of the 2026 season.

KEY POINTS

• Sami Pajari and Marko Salminen secured their maiden WRC victory.

• Pajari became the WRC’s 83rd different rally winner.

• He is the 17th Finnish driver to win outright in the championship.

• Pajari led Rally Estonia from start to finish and won 12 stages.

• His winning time was 2:31:16.5.

• Oliver Solberg finished second, 19.5 seconds behind.

• Adrien Fourmaux completed the podium for Hyundai.

• Pajari collected 28 points and moved into third in the provisional championship.

• He has 144 points and trails championship leader Elfyn Evans by 33.

• The victory was Finland’s 199th WRC win.

1. Sami Pajari / Marko Salminen — Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 — 2:31:16.5

2. Oliver Solberg / Elliott Edmondson — Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 — 2:31:36.0 (+19.5)

3. Adrien Fourmaux / Alexandre Coria — Hyundai i20 N Rally1 — 2:32:10.3 (+53.8)

4. Thierry Neuville / Martijn Wydaeghe — Hyundai i20 N Rally1 — 2:32:16.2 (+59.7)

5. Sébastien Ogier / Vincent Landais — Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 — 2:32:49.4 (+1:32.9)

6. Elfyn Evans / Scott Martin — Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 — 2:33:17.5 (+2:01.0)

7. Mārtiņš Sesks / Renārs Francis — Ford Puma Rally1 — 2:33:51.8 (+2:35.3)

8. Esapekka Lappi / Enni Mälkönen — Hyundai i20 N Rally1 — 2:34:18.8 (+3:02.3)

9. Jon Armstrong / Shane Byrne — Ford Puma Rally1 — 2:34:44.5 (+3:28.0)

10. Not visible in the supplied overall standings image.