SS20 Rally Portugal 2026: Sami Pajari Hits Trouble as Sebastien Ogier Comes Under Thierry Neuville Pressure

Sami Pajari encountered technical problems on SS20 of Rally Portugal 2026 as the fight for victory intensified once again between Sebastien Ogier and Thierry Neuville. The 21.60-kilometre Vieira do Minho 1 stage delivered another dramatic start to the final day of the World Rally Championship event.

Conditions remained extremely difficult on Sunday morning after continuous rain affected the Portuguese gravel roads throughout Saturday afternoon and overnight. Although rainfall was slightly lighter, the stages were still covered in mud and unpredictable low-grip sections across both fast sectors and heavy braking zones.

Ogier, who started the day leading the rally, adopted a more conservative approach than several of his direct rivals. The Toyota Gazoo Racing driver dropped 9.5 seconds to the fastest stage time, allowing Neuville to reduce the overall gap to just 14.3 seconds with three stages remaining.

Read AlsoSebastien Ogier Dominates Rally Portugal 2026 With Toyota

“We had a lot of rain and there was not much we could really do. The strategy is to win the rally and that remains the plan for the next stages,” Ogier explained.

The Frenchman appeared focused on managing risk rather than attacking aggressively in the highly inconsistent conditions. Running later on the road among the leading cars meant Ogier had to deal with constantly changing grip levels and increasingly deep mud lines across the stage.

Meanwhile, Pajari faced more serious concerns. The young Finnish driver lost over ten seconds to the stage winner and immediately appeared to struggle for pace from the opening splits.

At the finish line, Pajari confirmed that his Rally1 car was suffering from a technical issue, although he refused to reveal the exact nature of the problem.

“We have some kind of problem,” Pajari said briefly.

When asked whether the issue was related to the engine, gearbox, or another component, Pajari declined to provide further details. The situation immediately raised concerns inside Toyota, as the Finn had previously remained within realistic striking distance of Neuville in the battle for second overall.

After losing time on SS20, Pajari now trails Neuville by 29.2 seconds. Although he still holds third position overall, his chances of attacking for second place have become significantly more difficult if the technical issue continues through the remaining stages.

Oliver Solberg also experienced drama after suffering another slow puncture on his Toyota. Despite the issue, the Swedish driver still managed to maintain competitive pace and finished only 1.2 seconds behind stage winner Elfyn Evans.

“Typical luck for me. I was fully focused and trying my best. There was no obvious impact, but I noticed the tyre pressure slowly dropping. There is nothing you can do except keep pushing,” Solberg explained.

Evans himself delivered a strong performance in the wet conditions to secure the fastest stage time. The result also allowed him to move closer to Solberg in the overall fight for fourth position.

Further down the order, the battle for sixth place intensified after Takamoto Katsuta cut more than half of his deficit to Hyundai driver Adrien Fourmaux. The gap between the two drivers now stands at only five seconds heading into the final three stages.

Rally Portugal 2026 has now entered its decisive phase with weather conditions still highly unpredictable. Toyota continues to control the overall lead through Ogier, but Hyundai pressure from Neuville and the growing risk of technical issues in extreme conditions could still dramatically alter the final outcome before the Fafe Power Stage.

Rally Portugal 2026 standings after SS20/23:
1. Sebastien Ogier (Toyota) – 3:23:34.8
2. Thierry Neuville (Hyundai) +14.3
3. Sami Pajari (Toyota) +29.2
4. Oliver Solberg (Toyota) +41.3
5. Elfyn Evans (Toyota) +48.7
6. Adrien Fourmaux (Hyundai) +1:28.1
7. Takamoto Katsuta (Toyota) +1:33.1
8. Dani Sordo (Hyundai) +3:58.9
9. Martins Sesks (Ford) +6:57.1
10. Teemu Suninen (Toyota) +9:49.8