The WRC season concluded in Sardinia at the weekend, but bronze medallists Sami Pajari and Marko Salminen will be back in action the very next weekend. Instead of relying on modern rally machinery usually driven at the highest world championship level, the duo opted to tackle a domestic classic event.
This time, the pair will compete in different cars, with Marko Salminen also taking the wheel. Sami Pajari will drive his own Toyota Corolla GT, while Marko Salminen will compete in his Toyota Starlet across traditional Finnish gravel stages.
Speaking cheerfully after Rally Sardinia, Sami Pajari quipped about the upcoming grassroots event by comparing it to the world's biggest multi-sport gathering, highlighting the sheer prestige it holds for local motorsport enthusiasts.
"Isn't that the main event of the year? It's like the Olympics. On top of the World Championship, there are still the Olympics, which are even bigger. So this is the real thing," a cheerful Sami Pajari quipped as reported by RallyJournal. "We will drive our own rear-wheel-drive classic Toyotas on some usual, beautiful Finnish roads."
During the event, Sami Pajari will be co-driven by Janne Ahtovirta, who has partnered him before. The pair last competed together a year ago at the Lahti round of the Finnish Rally Championship.
Meanwhile, Marko Salminen is best known to the wider public as a co-driver, but he also has plenty of experience behind the wheel. Among other events, Marko Salminen contested F-Cup rounds in the 2000s, also in a Toyota Starlet.
Significantly, Marko Salminen last competed as a driver in Kankaanpaa in 2022. On that specific occasion, Sami Pajari actually co-drove for him.
Around 100 crews will contest the rally in Hartola. The event does not count towards any championship this year, but a 10-car invitational class featuring Sami Pajari will be first onto the route.
Entering the non-championship event with zero pressure, Sami Pajari aims to prioritize driving enjoyment over competitive stress.
"We will hopefully have a nice battle, but it’s more about having fun, having long sideways moments and enjoying what rally can be at its purest," Sami Pajari concluded.
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