Sami Pajari Conquers Paraguay and Rewrites the Record Books

Finnish driver Sami Pajari has now won three events in a row, Estonia, Finland and Paraguay. This is his first three wins in WRC. Photo: Christian Flodin / FotoINorr

There is a moment in every rally driver’s career when potential turns into something much more tangible. The podiums begin to mean less than the victories, the occasional flashes of speed become a pattern, and suddenly the question is no longer whether a driver belongs at the front — but how far they can go.

For Sami Pajari, that moment has arrived.

Six weeks ago, the Finnish driver was still chasing his first-ever World Rally Championship victory. Now, he has three.

After breaking through in Estonia and following it with a remarkable home victory in Finland, Pajari and co-driver Marko Salminen completed an extraordinary hat-trick in Paraguay. Their Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 survived one of the most punishing rallies of the season, carrying the pair to a 25.8-second victory over Hyundai’s Hayden Paddon. Adrien Fourmaux completed the podium, while championship leader Elfyn Evans finished fourth.

But the significance of Paraguay goes far beyond another trophy.

With his third consecutive WRC victory, Pajari has become the first driver in championship history to win his first three career rallies in succession. Estonia was the breakthrough. Finland was the confirmation. Paraguay was the statement.

And suddenly, with just three rallies remaining, the 2026 World Rally Championship has a genuine title fight on its hands.

Paraguay: Survival Was Everything

The Rally del Paraguay proved once again why this event is so unforgiving. Fast red-earth gravel, deep ruts, changing grip and unpredictable weather made the 22-stage, 359-kilometre rally a true test of man and machine.

Pajari did not have everything his own way. Tyre problems and incidents hit several front-runners, while even the Toyota driver had his own moments, including damage to the rear wing. But he and Salminen kept their heads, gradually building an advantage that reached more than 26 seconds before Sunday's final stages.

When the penultimate stage was cancelled following Takamoto Katsuta's accident, Pajari had one final test remaining. He delivered exactly what was needed and brought the Toyota home to make history.

Behind him, Hayden Paddon secured an impressive second place on his return to top-level WRC gravel competition, with Adrien Fourmaux completing the podium.

Home Glory for Domínguez

Paraguay had another hero. Local driver Diego Domínguez and co-driver Rogelio Peñate won WRC2 in their Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, finishing seventh overall and beating Gus Greensmith by 22.7 seconds.

After surviving a puncture and relentless pressure from Greensmith, Domínguez delivered a memorable home victory in front of the passionate Paraguayan crowds. The result was another landmark moment for a country quickly establishing itself on the WRC map.

The Title Fight Is On

Pajari now sits just 20 points behind championship leader Elfyn Evans with three rallies remaining. What looked impossible only weeks ago has suddenly become a realistic title challenge.

Estonia was the breakthrough. Finland was the confirmation. Paraguay was the warning.

Three wins in a row have transformed Sami Pajari from promising young driver into a genuine championship contender.

The hunter is no longer chasing the pack.

He is chasing the title.