Sami Pajari and Marko Salminen continued their incredible run of form in Paraguay, claiming their third consecutive WRC victory. In doing so, the Finnish crew made World Rally Championship history: never before has a crew taken their first three WRC wins in three consecutive rallies.
The winning streak began in Estonia in July, where Pajari claimed his maiden WRC victory. He followed it up immediately with an unforgettable home win at Secto Rally Finland – and has now completed the hat-trick on the gravel roads of Paraguay.
Pajari took control of the rally during an action-packed Friday and headed into the final day with a 24.1-second advantage. On Sunday, the Finn kept his cool and brought his Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 safely home, finishing 25.8 seconds ahead of Hayden Paddon.
The three-win streak has also propelled Pajari firmly into the championship fight. After Paraguay, he sits second in the standings on 196 points, just 20 behind championship leader Elfyn Evans.
Next up, the WRC circus heads to Chile on 10–13 September. Pajari and Salminen arrive with a historic hat-trick under their belts – and the championship battle wide open.
