Sami Pajari Plays Down Title Talk After Five WRC Podiums

Sami Pajari is refusing to focus on the 2026 World Rally Championship standings despite securing five podiums from seven rounds and moving into fourth place. The Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally Team driver has scored 96 points, leaving him 55 behind championship leader and team-mate Elfyn Evans.

Pajari has taken a clear step forward compared with last season and has become a regular contender for the podium. Those results suggest his maiden WRC victory is becoming increasingly realistic, but the Finnish driver does not intend to replace his current approach with championship calculations. He believes the standings will become relevant at the Saudi Arabia finale, when the remaining mathematical possibilities are clearer.

“Maybe it has gone better than expected, but I honestly haven’t thought about it very much,” Pajari told Rallit.fi.

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That approach allows Pajari to concentrate on the areas he can directly control, including special-stage pace, tyre management, pace-note accuracy and consistency throughout an event. Monitoring every change in the championship table does not necessarily improve performance, particularly when rally results can still be influenced by tyre damage, technical problems, road conditions and starting position.

“I’ve just tried to do my own job as well as possible and take the lessons from every rally. The level has improved quite nicely,” he said.

Pajari’s improvement has not resulted from one dramatic breakthrough. He was already showing stronger speed and producing several competitive results during the final phase of last season before converting that experience into greater consistency in 2026. A deeper understanding of the Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 has allowed him to adapt more effectively to asphalt, gravel, snow and changing levels of grip.

The progress is also connected to his ability to manage the car across an entire rally. At Rally1 level, outright speed must be combined with tyre protection, efficient power delivery and a clear assessment of risk on every stage. Pajari is remaining inside the leading group more frequently because he can control those elements without losing excessive time when the conditions are not completely favourable.

“This has been a natural continuation from the end of last season. I’ve never felt there were any huge leaps forward overnight,” Pajari explained.

His championship position still provides a realistic opportunity to enter the top three. Takamoto Katsuta occupies second place with 131 points, while Oliver Solberg is third on 102. Pajari is only six points behind Solberg, meaning one strong result could immediately change their order.

The gap to Evans nevertheless demonstrates the scale of the championship challenge. Pajari would require victories and sustained consistency to recover a 55-point deficit, while Evans has created his advantage through a combination of wins, podiums and limited points losses. Toyota must also manage an increasingly competitive internal situation, with three of its drivers occupying positions inside the championship’s top four.

Pajari believes the complete package has continued moving forward until the process has begun to feel natural. That assessment reflects both technical and mental development. As his experience increases, less attention is required to interpret the car’s basic reactions, allowing more concentration to be placed on stage time, grip changes and event strategy.

The next round at the Acropolis Rally will deliver a different test through high temperatures, rough surfaces and an increased risk of tyre damage. Pajari must balance speed with vehicle protection before the championship moves to the fast gravel rallies in Estonia and Finland, which should theoretically suit his background and natural strengths more closely.

That three-event sequence could determine whether Pajari remains primarily a podium contender or develops into a regular victory candidate. For now, he is maintaining the gradual approach that has carried him into fourth place. Should the consistency behind his five podiums continue, the championship position will improve without requiring him to change his immediate focus.