Pajari after Estonia win: Fighting for WRC title is now real
Sami Pajari, after winning Rally Estonia, admits the WRC title fight is realistic – he is third in standings, only 33 points behind leader Elfyn Evans.
Following his victory at Rally Estonia, Toyota driver Sami Pajari openly discusses his ambitions for the World Rally Championship (WRC) title. The Finnish driver, now third in the overall standings, acknowledges that the championship fight has become a reality. He trails leader Elfyn Evans by just 33 points and feels growing confidence ahead of his home round in Finland.
Previously reluctant to make bold statements about the title, Pajari is now straightforward: "Of course we are fighting for the championship. The results in the first part of the season have been really good, and winning in Estonia confirms that." He notes that Evans and Takamoto Katsuta earned significantly fewer points there, which helped him close the gap.
Still, the driver avoids letting the title become an obsession: "It's not something I think about every day, but it would be foolish not to take advantage of this opportunity when things are going so well." He emphasizes that being close to the top naturally drives him to give his best.
Regarding internal competition within the Toyota team, Pajari says team management does not plan to issue strict orders. "We haven't talked about it much because everything has happened naturally. Toyota always said there would be no big team orders – we drivers are allowed to sort out positions among ourselves." This approach, he believes, benefits the whole team, as they can focus on staying ahead without worrying about internal order.
