WRC Estonia: Pajari Secures Lead with Perfect Friday

Sami Pajari delivered an impressive performance at Rally Estonia, leading after winning all seven stages on Friday. The Toyota driver showcased his skills on the fast gravel roads, establishing a 14.7-second lead over Oliver Solberg by the end of the day.

The 24-year-old Pajari, who seeks his first WRC victory, set a joint-fastest time in the shakedown before sweeping through the opening three stages, which allowed him to pull ahead of Solberg. After reaching a remote checkpoint for tire fitting, Pajari continued his dominance, winning every stage, including the asphalt super special, stage seven. This marked the first time a driver won every stage of a WRC leg since Kalle Rovanperä’s achievement at the Canary Islands Rally in the previous year.

"The feeling has been really great and the driving has been flowing naturally. I don’t feel like pushing or taking risks," Pajari remarked, acknowledging that while he is pleased with his performance, there are two long days ahead in the competition. He expressed hope to maintain his momentum, saying, "I think after three or four stage wins we started to think about it [the clean sweep]."

Oliver Solberg, who claimed his first WRC victory at this same event the previous year, reported not experiencing the same sensations with his car during this rally. Solberg finished in second place but felt there was room for improvement in his performance. "When the feeling is not there, then for sure I'm not satisfied," he said.

Hyundai’s Adrien Fourmaux impressed by holding onto third place, just 16.5 seconds behind Pajari, despite experiencing some challenges earlier in the day. Thierry Neuville finished fourth but mentioned ongoing handling issues, finding his car lacked the balance he desired.

Takamoto Katsuta faced difficulties, with a front-left tire explosion in stage six forcing him to retire early. The Japanese driver expressed frustration over the incident, which occurred while he was in sixth place. Meanwhile, M-Sport-Ford's Martins Sesks managed to recover from a penalty to push his way up to sixth place.

Overall, Pajari’s flawless run on Friday marked a significant step in his pursuit of a maiden WRC victory, setting the stage for an exciting continuation of the event.