WRC, Sportrik Media - Sami Pajari of Toyota Gazoo Racing achieved a rare milestone by securing his fourth consecutive podium with a third-place finish at the 2026 Canary Islands Rally.
For much of the rally, Pajari appeared set to finish fourth, struggling to match the pace of team-mates Sebastien Ogier, Oliver Solberg, and Elfyn Evans. He was also focused on defending his position from Takamoto Katsuta.
The race took a decisive turn when Solberg crashed on the penultimate stage, suffering suspension damage and retiring. This opened the door for Pajari to move up to third and extend his podium streak.
“I’m always happy to be on the podium, especially with four in a row. It’s something very unique for me. Who would have believed we’d have such a start to the season?” Pajari said.
The impressive run began in Sweden with a third-place finish, followed by another podium in Safari Rally Kenya, second place in Croatia, and now a third-place finish in the Canary Islands. This consistency has lifted Pajari to third in the championship standings with 72 points.
This achievement marks the first time a Finnish driver has recorded such a streak in recent years, since Kalle Rovanpera accomplished a similar feat in 2023, underlining Pajari’s significant progress compared to last season.
Despite the strong results, Pajari acknowledged that improvements are still needed, particularly in maintaining consistent pace across all stages.
“We saw that our speed was very strong in some sections, but there were also areas where we lost time. We need to keep working hard,” he added.
Pajari’s success this season has been built on versatility across different surfaces, including snow, gravel, and asphalt. Toyota’s Rally1 package has proven especially competitive on tarmac, where Pajari has delivered standout performances.
The result further strengthens Toyota’s position in the manufacturers’ championship, while Elfyn Evans continues to lead the drivers’ standings. Pajari now sits 29 points behind the leader as attention shifts to the next round in Portugal.
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