WRC, Sportrik Media - Sami Pajari experienced a significant drop in performance during the second day of the 2026 Canary Rally, after starting the day within reach of the leading positions.
The Toyota Gazoo Racing driver began Saturday just 15.9 seconds behind the rally leader, a margin that still left room to challenge for victory. However, difficulties emerged immediately in the morning stages, where Pajari was the slowest among the Toyota drivers.
“The morning was difficult. The plan was to push straight away, but we knew we hadn’t run the first section last year, while most others had. So it was expected to be hard to match the fastest times, even though the feeling in the car was still good,” Pajari explained.
Conditions worsened later in the day as localized rain affected the final two stages, creating inconsistent grip levels. Pajari struggled to maintain confidence and lost significant time to the front runners.
He ended the day in fourth overall, but the gap to the leader had extended to 44 seconds, meaning he effectively lost nearly half a minute across three stages, significantly impacting his chances at the front.
“I just lacked confidence in the tricky sections. I couldn’t fully commit into the next corner because I wasn’t sure how slippery it would be,” he said.
Car setup issues also played a role, with Pajari noting that concerns from Friday had not improved. Instead, the situation became more difficult as the rally progressed.
“Looking back, yesterday wasn’t too bad. We were maybe missing the final bit of pace. But today felt stranger. I felt more lost, and that’s not a good situation,” he added.
Pressure is also coming from team-mate Takamoto Katsuta, who remains close in the standings. With only a small gap between them, the intra-team battle remains active heading into the remaining stages.
“I can’t relax because Taka is just a few seconds behind. The gap is basically nothing, especially with a day and a half still to go. There’s no room to take it easy,” Pajari stated.
The Canary Rally continues with three more special stages in Gran Canaria on Saturday afternoon after the service break, which will be crucial for Pajari to recover performance and rejoin the fight at the front.
Baca Juga
Sebastien Ogier tetap memimpin SS12 Reli Canary 2026 dengan selisih tipis atas Oliver Solberg dalam duel ketat Toyota.
Takamoto Katsuta alami kesalahan unik di Canary 2026, namun tetap tampil kompetitif dan pangkas jarak ke Sami Pajari.
Oliver Solberg tekan Sebastien Ogier di Reli Canary 2026 dengan selisih tipis 5,3 detik dalam duel ketat Toyota di kondisi berubah.
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