DistantNews
Support us
Pajari wins Rally Paraguay: “The key was building a reliable car” Image: Fernando Romero, ABC Color
🇵🇾 Paraguay /Sports

Pajari wins Rally Paraguay: “The key was building a reliable car”

From ABC Color · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News From a news agency Outcome reported
  • Toyota Gazoo Racing driver Sami Pajari won the 2026 Rally Paraguay, the 11th round of the World Rally Championship season.
  • The 24-year-old Finn led from Special Stage 7 and said the car’s reliability proved decisive.
  • Pajari moved within 20 points of championship leader Elfyn Evans with three rounds remaining.

Sami Pajari captured the second Rally Paraguay after leading the event from Special Stage 7, extending a run that has made him the first driver in the championship’s history to win three consecutive rallies.

The 24-year-old Finn, driving a Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 with compatriot Marko Salminen as co-driver, had already won in Estonia and Finland. He added the Paraguay victory on the red roads of Itapúa Department in the season’s 11th round.

Building such a reliable car is the key to success. It is a very happy moment.

— Sami PajariPajari explained the main factor behind his Rally Paraguay victory during the podium ceremony in Encarnación.

Speaking on the podium in Encarnación, with the Paraná River behind him, Pajari said the key to the result was “Building such a reliable car.” He called the victory “a very happy moment” and thanked the team, while acknowledging that the rally had been difficult for both drivers and the crew.

The win also tightened the championship fight. Pajari collected 25 points and reached 196, reducing his gap to Elfyn Evans from 30 points to 20. Three rounds remain, in Chile, Sardinia and Saudi Arabia.

Many thanks to the team once again. It was not an easy rally, it was not easy for the drivers, and it was not easy for the team either.

— Sami PajariHe thanked Toyota Gazoo Racing after winning the event.
About this summary

Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

More Stories

From Our Blog