Jyväskylä, Finland, August 3, 2026: Sami Pajari and co-driver Marko Salminen claimed an emotional home victory at the 2026 Secto Rally Finland, securing their second consecutive FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) win just two weeks after their maiden triumph in Estonia. The Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT2 duo led a commanding Toyota 1-2-3 finish, extending the Japanese manufacturer’s dominance at one of the championship’s most iconic events.

Pajari carried a comfortable 46.4-second overnight lead into Sunday’s final two stages and managed his pace perfectly to seal victory by 26.7 seconds over teammate Oliver Solberg.

Sami Pajari Makes WRC History with Home Victory

The victory marked another milestone in Pajari’s rapidly rising WRC career.

Having secured his maiden WRC victory in Estonia, the Finn followed it up with an emotional home triumph to become the 14th Finnish driver to win Rally Finland during the WRC era.

The win also carried historic significance as Pajari delivered the 200th FIA World Rally Championship victory for a Finnish driver. He had already claimed Finland’s 199th WRC win with his success in Estonia.

It was also the first time since Kalle Rovanperä’s victories in Poland and Latvia in 2024 that a Finnish driver had won consecutive WRC rounds.

Speaking after the finish, Pajari said:

“I don’t know what to say. It was a big thing to take the win in Estonia, but a home win is always something special.

“A big thanks to the team and all the fans for their support. It’s simply amazing.”

Toyota Dominates Rally Finland

Toyota enjoyed one of its strongest performances in recent Rally Finland history.

The manufacturer locked out the podium with:

• Sami Pajari – 1st
• Oliver Solberg – 2nd
• Elfyn Evans – 3rd

The result marked Toyota’s eighth Rally Finland victory in the last nine editions and its 11th win in the WRC era, moving the Japanese manufacturer ahead of Ford as the most successful marque in Rally Finland history.

Oliver Solberg Battles Injury to Finish Second

Oliver Solberg produced another impressive drive despite suffering severe back pain after a heavy landing during Sunday’s opening stage.

The Swede topped the Super Sunday classification and remained competitive throughout the day after receiving treatment before the final stage.

His runner-up finish completed a second consecutive Toyota one-two behind Pajari after the same result in Estonia.

Elfyn Evans Recovers After Dramatic Roll

Championship leader Elfyn Evans completed an extraordinary comeback to finish third.

After rolling his Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 on Saturday, spectators helped return the damaged car to the road before Toyota mechanics completed extensive repairs during service.

Evans rewarded the team’s efforts by winning the Wolf Power Stage, beating Solberg by just 0.025 seconds, and finished 1 minute 19.5 seconds behind rally winner Pajari.

Following Rally Finland, Evans extended his championship lead to 30 points over Pajari.

Ogier Crash Opens Door for Pajari

Pajari inherited the rally lead on Saturday afternoon after long-time leader Sébastien Ogier crashed heavily on the Västilä stage.

Ogier and stand-in co-driver Julien Ingrassia exited the car unaided before undergoing precautionary medical checks, with both receiving positive reports.

Katsuta Drops After Final Stage Error

Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta looked set for a strong finish before crashing into a tree during the Wolf Power Stage.

The Japanese driver reached the finish with significant front-end damage but dropped from fifth to sixth overall, allowing Thierry Neuville to move into the top five.

Hyundai’s Adrien Fourmaux finished fourth after overcoming difficult conditions caused by Friday’s heavy rain, while Josh McErlean secured seventh place for M-Sport Ford.

Former WRC driver Jari-Matti Latvala completed the top eight overall and won the RC2 category.

In WRC2, Robert Virves claimed his fourth victory in four starts after overnight leader Teemu Suninen received a 30-second penalty.

The FIA World Rally Championship now heads to WRC Ueno Rally del Paraguay, scheduled for August 27-30.

2026 WRC Secto Rally Finland – Final Overall Classification

The source provided results only up to sixth place with timings. The seventh and eighth positions were mentioned without official times.