Sami Pajari clinches first WRC victory at Rally Estonia
Finnish driver Sami Pajari, 24, secured his maiden World Rally Championship win at the 2026 Rally Estonia. Driving a Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 with co‑driver Marko Salminen, he led from the opening special stage, winning 12 of the 18 stages and finishing 19.5 seconds ahead of teammate Oliver Solberg. The result gave Toyota a 1‑2 finish, with Adrien Fourmaux third and Thierry Neuville fourth, while Sébastien Ogier placed fifth and championship leader Elfyn Evans sixth. Pajari’s triumph moves him to third in the overall standings, 33 points behind Evans and eight points behind Takamoto Katsuta. It also marks the sixth different winner of the season and means all five Toyota Rally1 drivers have recorded a win in 2026, extending the team’s manufacturers’ championship lead. After the race, Pajari said, “It’s something amazing… I’m super, super happy, thank you to the Toyota Gazoo Racing team and everyone who supported me.”