Sami Pajari unleashed a relentless display of speed and precision to seize a commanding 14.7-second lead at the conclusion of Friday’s opening leg of Delfi Rally Estonia.
On a day that demanded maximum commitment on the region’s rapid gravel stages, the Finnish sensation not only outpaced the field but also etched his name into the rally’s history by winning every single stage-a feat not achieved since Kalle Rovanperä’s dominant start at Rally Islas Canarias last season.
Piloting his Hankook-shod Toyota GR Yaris Rally1, Pajari set the tone early by topping the timesheets on the first three stages. Exiting the Tyre Fitting Zone in Tehvandi, he already held a 4.1-second advantage. From there, he tightened his grip on the rally by sweeping the remaining gravel tests and capping off the day with another fastest time on the Tarmac super special in Elva.
Reflecting on his flawless day, Pajari remarked: “Simply I just do all I can. I didn’t have any moments, and it seems under control. I’m pushing all I can. I’m just trying to enjoy it. This was proper action, a super-nice day. I will do the best I can and it’s still a super-long rally.” Pajari’s only hiccup came on SS5, where he admitted to a “small mistake at one corner,” but his relentless pace ensured it had no impact on his lead.
Hot on Pajari’s heels is Toyota’s Oliver Solberg, last year’s rally winner, who occupies second overnight but trails by 14.7 seconds. Solberg, however, struggled to find confidence in his car, describing his day as “very disappointing” and lamenting a lack of feeling on the stages. Adrien Fourmaux sits just 1.8 seconds further back in third after a string of top-three stage finishes, despite an early scare when his Hyundai i20 N Rally1 picked up grass in the front during a jump on SS2.
Thierry Neuville, holding the 2024 world champion title, ended the day in fourth, repeatedly citing balance issues with his Hyundai and conceding 33.3 seconds to teammate Fourmaux. Sébastien Ogier, contesting his first Rally Estonia since 2021, completed the top five.
Drama struck Takamoto Katsuta on SS6. While running sixth, he suffered a puncture that cost him almost a minute, then retired before SS7 and now faces the challenge of road-opening duties when he restarts on Saturday’s grueling leg.
Mārtiņš Sesks, despite incurring a 20-second penalty for a Shakedown incident, recovered well to claim sixth overall in his Ford Puma Rally1. Esapekka Lappi, making his first WRC start since Safari Rally Kenya, surged from ninth to seventh by overhauling Josh McErlean and Elfyn Evans on SS6 after critical set-up changes. Evans, the championship leader, fought back to pass Lappi on SS5 but ultimately slipped to ninth after struggling with the demanding conditions.
McErlean holds eighth, just 0.1 seconds behind Lappi, while Jon Armstrong rounds out the top ten after losing 30 seconds to front-left tire damage on SS1.
Pajari’s masterclass has set a formidable benchmark heading into the longest and most challenging leg of the rally, leaving his rivals with a mountain to climb as the action resumes.