Sami Pajari claims first WRC win at Rally Estonia

Finnish driver Sami Pajari secured his first-ever victory in the FIA World Rally Championship with a commanding performance at Rally Estonia, concluding on July 19, 2026. The Toyota driver led the high-speed gravel event from the opening stage to the finish, ultimately beating teammate Oliver Solberg by 19.5 seconds. Adrien Fourmaux completed the podium in third place, holding off a late challenge from his Hyundai teammate Thierry Neuville.

Pajari’s triumph marks the sixth different winner of the 2026 season and means all five Toyota drivers have now won a WRC round this year. The victory also extended Pajari’s own record for podium finishes to six, the most of any driver this season. Championship leader Elfyn Evans finished sixth but extended his points advantage to 25 after his closest rival, Takamoto Katsuta, retired from Friday’s leg with tire damage.

The win was a dominant display from start to finish. Pajari set the fastest time on all seven stages during Friday’s opening leg, becoming the first driver since 2025 to achieve a clean sweep of a rally’s first day. He maintained his lead throughout Saturday, despite Solberg winning two stages to close the gap slightly....