Kankkunen Backs Pajari to Challenge Neuville

Sami Pajari has once again put himself in podium contention at Rally Portugal 2026 after a consistent Saturday performance with Toyota Gazoo Racing. Heading into Sunday’s final four stages, Pajari trails Hyundai Motorsport driver Thierry Neuville by only 3.9 seconds in the battle for second overall.

Toyota remains in an extremely strong overall position in Portugal, with Sébastien Ogier leading the rally by 21.9 seconds. Behind the Frenchman, the fight between Neuville and Pajari is expected to become one of the key battles of the final gravel stages on Sunday.

Toyota deputy team principal and rally legend Juha Kankkunen openly stated that he believes Pajari is capable of overtaking Neuville if he can maintain rhythm and avoid major mistakes.

Baca JugaSebastien Ogier Bangkit, Thierry Neuville Mulai Menyerah di Portugal

“He will catch Neuville. And at the very least we will tell him to go for it,” Kankkunen told Rallit.fi.

However, Kankkunen stressed that Toyota does not want Pajari to take excessive risks purely to chase second position. According to the four-time world champion, an aggressive approach still needs to remain controlled because the changing Portuguese conditions continue to create significant danger.

“But of course he should not drive at 110 percent. If he drives fast and clean, then Neuville can be caught naturally,” Kankkunen added.

Last season, Toyota gave Pajari complete freedom to learn the characteristics of the Rally1 car without major pressure for results. The approach led to some difficult weekends for the young Finn, but since the end of 2025 his performances have improved significantly, particularly in rhythm management and risk control on gravel rallies.

Kankkunen revealed that Toyota has now started pushing Pajari to take the next step in his development as a potential future team leader.

“Yes, we have told him already: now tighten the belts and push the throttle harder. When the rhythm feels right, just keep going,” said Kankkunen.

Pajari currently sits third in the WRC standings. If he manages to finish second or secure another podium in Portugal, he will move closer to teammates Elfyn Evans and Takamoto Katsuta in the championship fight.

When asked whether Pajari can already be considered a realistic title contender this season, Kankkunen did not dismiss the possibility. According to the rally legend, Toyota now possesses an exceptionally strong driver group capable of building long-term dominance.

“He is clearly developing. We already have our leading drivers like Elfyn and Seb. And if we can convince Oliver Solberg to stay in the programme, then we will have four very strong drivers in that group,” Kankkunen explained.