WRC
Pajari powers ahead in Estonia WRC battle
Sami Pajari is the driver to beat at Delfi Rally Estonia after he completed the first loop of three stages leading Oliver Solberg, last year’s winner, by 4.1sec.
Joint fastest during this morning’s Shakedown this morning, Pajari continued that fast-paced form into the afternoon with a trio of stage wins aboard his Hankook-equipped Toyota GR Yaris Rally1.
Quickest by 2.4sec on SS1, Pajari outpaced his closest rival by 0.3sec on SS2 before he sealed his Estonia stage-winning hat-trick with a 0.8sec advantage on SS3 to reach the Tyre Fitting Zone leading round nine of the FIA World Rally Championship by 4.1sec.
“It feels really good,” said Pajari, who is running fourth on the road through Estonia’s high-speed gravel stages. “I’m really enjoying and what beautiful place to drive. It is going well. I recommend this [feeling] to anyone.”
Solberg was third quickest on SS1 and SS3 and second best on SS2 – when he moved into second overall – to remain firmly in the victory hunt, despite reporting a lack of feeling from his Toyota. “The feeling is not there,” Swede Solberg said. “I try my best, but it is far from good enough. If I don't have the feeling I don't have the feeling. There is a long way to go but we need to quickly find the feeling.”
2025 winner Oliver Solberg sat second overall at Friday midday
© At World
Making the most of his starting position of seventh, Adrien Fourmaux has been on flying form in his Hyundai i20 N Rally1. Never outside the top three, the Frenchman had a scare on SS2, which he completed with grass lodged in the front of his car following a moment over a jump.
“The car went away on a jump take off and I was lucky there was nothing in the ditch,” Fourmaux explained. “It was good stage anyway. I need to just forget and go ahead.”
Behind Fourmaux, Thierry Neuville is fourth for Hyundai having reported a lack of balance on SS1 and issues with his boots getting stuck to his car’s pedals on SS3. Sébastien Ogier is fifth, on his first Rally Estonia start since 2021, with Josh McErlean overtaking Takamoto Katsuta for sixth on SS3.
“The driving was a complete mess, I am not fully comfortable with the car, but also I did quite a few small mistakes,” Katsuta said after SS3. “For sure the second pass won’t be much easier, but we will try to catch some of the guys in front.”
Adrien Fourmaux held third through the opening stages
© At World
Making his first WRC appearance since Safari Rally Kenya in March, Esapekka Lappi holds eighth after three stages having overtaken Elfyn Evans on SS3. The world championship leader is opening the road and suffering on the notably loose stages, leaving him 27.5sec adrift of top spot.
Mārtiṇš Sesks picked up a 20-second penalty for leaving service two minutes late while his M-Sport Ford World Rally Team mechanics rushed to repair damage the Latvian inflicted to his Ford Puma Rally1 running off the road during Shakedown this morning. He’s 10th overall with Jon Armstrong 11th after the Irishman picked up a front-left puncture when landing heavily on SS1.
The repeat of the 21.45km Raanitsa stage is up next from 16:46 local time. It’s followed by second visits to the Karaski and Kanepi stages, plus a single run through Elva linn super special, which brings day one from 19:35.
