WRC, Sportrik Media - Sami Pajari arrives at Rally Islas Canarias 2026 with strong momentum after securing three podiums this season, including a career-best second place on asphalt in Croatia.
The Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT driver currently sits fourth in the World Rally Championship standings and is positioned as a credible contender for victory in Gran Canaria. In last year’s edition, Toyota locked out the top four positions, and early indicators suggest a similar competitive pattern may emerge.
Thursday’s shakedown reinforced that projection, with five Toyota drivers occupying the top positions and establishing a clear performance gap over Hyundai Motorsport. This places Pajari firmly within the internal battle at the front.
“As we saw last year, the time gaps can be extremely small here, which makes the challenge quite different compared to many other rallies,” Pajari said.
“It’s one of my favourite rallies. The stages are very enjoyable to drive, so hopefully we can deliver a strong performance.”
From a technical perspective, Pajari highlighted the competitiveness of the car, indicating that execution on stage will be the decisive factor.
“At least the performance of the car looks very strong. So everything comes down to me.”
Within Toyota’s line-up, Pajari faces direct competition from Oliver Solberg, Sebastien Ogier, and Elfyn Evans, all of whom are considered leading candidates for victory. However, Pajari and championship leader Takamoto Katsuta remain significant factors in the outcome.
Pajari acknowledged that his first career WRC win is now within reach, particularly following his recent performance in Croatia.
“I feel we are one step closer now. Croatia was second place, and that was my second asphalt podium, so in that sense it should be possible,” he said.
“It won’t be easy, that’s for sure, but we will do our best.”
Notably, Pajari diverges from the traditional Finnish driver profile, which is typically associated with gravel strength. Instead, he has shown a preference for high-grip asphalt conditions like those found in the Canary Islands.
“In conditions like this, you can really maximise the car’s performance. There are many flowing sections, and once you find a good rhythm, it feels very rewarding,” he explained.
From an analytical standpoint, Pajari’s prospects will depend on maintaining consistency in a rally where time gaps are minimal and precision is critical. The technical demands of the stages—particularly tyre and brake temperature management—leave little margin for error.
Rally Islas Canarias 2026 begins with a short super special stage in Las Palmas on Thursday evening, before progressing into a series of demanding asphalt stages across the weekend. For Pajari, the event represents a strategic opportunity to convert momentum into a maiden WRC victory.
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