Toyota’s Sami Pajari faces his toughest challenge yet as he tackles the brutal Safari Rally Kenya, aiming to survive and gain vital experience.
Toyota’s Sami Pajari is bracing himself for one of the toughest tests of his career as he prepares to take on the legendary Safari Rally Kenya for the first time next week (20 – 23 March).
The 23-year-old Finn, contesting his first full season in a GR Yaris Rally1, has already faced vastly different conditions in the opening two rounds of the FIA World Rally Championship.
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From the tricky asphalt roads of Rallye Monte-Carlo to the frozen forests of Rally Sweden, Pajari has experienced extreme contrasts. However, nothing quite compares to the punishing, unpredictable terrain of Kenya’s grueling classic.
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Pajari, who secured his WRC2 title last season before stepping up to Rally1 with Toyota Gazoo Racing, is eager yet cautious about the challenge ahead. He knows that while the Safari Rally is one of the most exciting events on the WRC calendar, it is also one of the most unforgiving.
“I was there for the recce last year, so I know a little bit what the roads are like, but it’s still going to be a huge challenge,” Pajari admitted in an interview with WRC portal.
“The team has been really good there over the past few years, so I can expect the car to be strong, but I’m focused on my own performance as well.”
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Despite never having competed on African soil, Pajari is no stranger to adversity. His meteoric rise through the rallying ranks has been built on adapting to new and extreme conditions.
From his early days in the Finnish National Championship to becoming the 2021 Junior WRC champion, the young Finn has demonstrated a fearless attitude and relentless determination.
His decision to stay in Junior WRC for an extra season in 2022, rather than jumping straight into WRC2, proved a masterstroke, allowing him to refine his skills before stepping up.
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By 2023, he was a force to be reckoned with, securing multiple podiums before storming to victory in his home event at Secto Rally Finland.
But it was his dominant 2024 WRC2 campaign that truly marked him as a rising star. Driving a Printsport-run Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, Pajari claimed four wins to seal the title, beating some of the category’s biggest names, including Oliver Solberg and Yohan Rossel.
Alongside his WRC2 success, Toyota handed him valuable Rally1 outings in Finland, Chile, and the Central European Rally, further strengthening his credentials for the top tier.
Now, as he embarks on his first full Rally1 season, Pajari faces a rally renowned for its unpredictability.
The Safari Rally is notorious for its extreme weather conditions, deep ruts, fesh-fesh sand, and the constant threat of mechanical attrition. While Toyota has enjoyed success in Kenya in recent years, Pajari knows that nothing can be taken for granted.
“The target is just to gain as much experience as we can, but we’re also there to do our best and in a rally like this, anything can happen,” he said.
“It will be tough, but I’m looking forward to the challenge.”
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While Pajari’s main goal is to reach the finish and learn as much as possible, the unpredictable nature of the Safari Rally means that survival alone can lead to strong results.
With the potential for high attrition among the front-runners, a smart and measured approach could see him spring a surprise in just his third Rally1 start.
His Toyota Gazoo Racing teammates have already set a strong precedent, with the team’s GR Yaris Rally1 machine proving to be one of the most reliable and capable cars on rough African terrain.
Pajari will be hoping to tap into that strength while staying clear of the many hazards that have caught out even the most experienced WRC drivers in the past.