The intense rivalry in rallying does not always happen exclusively on the world championship stage, as the purest battles sometimes unfold at local events steeped in motorsport nostalgia. WRC rising star Sami Pajari is set to race head-to-head against his own loyal co-driver, Marko Salminen, behind the wheel of classic Toyota machinery at this weekend’s Jari-Pekka Ralli in Finland’s Hartola region.
Thorough preparation has been completed by the young driver ahead of the weekend. Sami Pajari has built his very own Toyota Corolla AE86, which is scheduled to make its competitive debut on Saturday across the uniquely challenging and beautiful roads characteristic of the Finnish countryside.
On the other side of the service park, Marko Salminen will not merely remain in his usual navigator seat. Instead, he will steer his own Toyota Starlet, marking his first event start as an active driver since the 2022 season.
A relaxed yet eagerly anticipated atmosphere surrounds the buildup to this local rally. Sami Pajari shared his enthusiasm with DirtFish, highlighting that this weekend serves as a major calendar highlight for both of them outside the standard world championship duties.
"This is the main event of the year!" Sami Pajari told DirtFish. "It’s like the rallying Olympics. On top of the World Championship, there is Olympics, which is even bigger. So this is the thing. This is the real thing."
He further elaborated on how camaraderie will blend with fierce driving spirit out on the stages. They intend to maximize the potential of their rear-wheel-drive classic cars to put on a great show for spectators gathered around the Hartola area.
"We will drive our own real-wheel-drive classic Toyotas on some very usual beautiful Finnish roads. It’s not a big event but we have basically our own class which is just including some of our friends, so we will hopefully have a nice battle," he added.
For the duo who typically share a cockpit in the World Rally Championship, this weekend in Finland is fundamentally about enjoying the purest essence of rallying. Delivering plenty of sideways moments with classic machinery takes precedence over championship points pressure.
"It’s more about having fun actually and having a lot of sideways moments and enjoying what rally can be at its purest," Sami Pajari described.
Interestingly, a lighthearted dynamic emerged when Marko Salminen suggested to DirtFish that a handicap system could potentially be applied. Such a measure would theoretically help Salminen’s stage times become more competitive against the man who navigates for him in top-tier rallying.
Responding to the notion of a potential handicap system, Sami Pajari grinned while playfully acknowledging the friendly banter between crewmates.
"You can always start to hear this kind of whining. But OK we will see," Pajari grinned.
The Jari-Pekka Ralli itinerary comprises two distinct stages that will be repeated on Saturday, October 10, ensuring an entertaining and closely watched duel between the Toyota WRC talents.
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