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Sami Pajari secures victory at Rally Paraguay to make WRC history

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Aug 30, 2026, 6:25 PM

Last updated Aug 30, 2026

Sami Pajari secures victory at Rally Paraguay to make WRC history

Summary

Sami Pajari and co-driver Marko Salminen secured a victory at Rally Paraguay, marking the Toyota driver's third consecutive win in the World Rally Championship. By winning in Paraguay following earlier successes in Estonia and Finland, Pajari became the first driver in the series to string together three victories immediately after a maiden win. He finished 25.8 seconds ahead of Hyundai driver Hayden Paddon, while Adrien Fourmaux took third place. The rally proved challenging due to abrasive stages and variable conditions, forcing several high-profile retirements including Sébastien Ogier, Takamoto Katsuta, and Thierry Neuville. Pajari’s performance closed his gap in the overall championship standings, bringing him within 20 points of series leader Elfyn Evans.

Source Links

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By the Numbers

•Sami Pajari is the first driver to earn three consecutive WRC wins after a maiden victory.
•Pajari finished 25.8 seconds ahead of Hayden Paddon at the conclusion of the event.
•Adrien Fourmaux moved into third place after overtaking Elfyn Evans on the final day.
•Rally conditions caused early retirements for Sébastien Ogier, Takamoto Katsuta, and Thierry Neuville.

Latest Updates

6:25 PMYahoo Sports — Sami Pajari makes WRC history with third consecutive win in Paraguay

What they're saying

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The Toyota driver became the first to follow a maiden WRC victory with two more wins in succession, cutting Elfyn Evans’ championship lead to 20 points
— Yahoo Sports

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