The team principal of Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT, Jari-Matti Latvala, says that Sami Pajari is among the drivers' options for the next season after his great performance at Rally Finland last week, but the teams want him to focus on his WRC2 title fight for now and has been impressed by his mental side.
Pajari made his debut in World Rally Championship with the Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 on his home event last weekend and was able to finish fourth overall. Despite the fact that his rally did not start in a positive way after his having come off the stage near the end of SS2 resulting in having a huge spoiler damage and a rear wing damage, he managed to stay in the road and to complete Friday morning with less aerodynamics which made his car unstable. He started his Friday afternoon more dynamically as he set the second-fastest time in Stage 6 and afterwards claimed his maiden stage win at the top class in Stage 9 of Rally Finland. On Saturday, he stayed out of trouble and was fifth overall on the classification while he saved his Yaris from a potential crash on the opening Sunday stage as he came off the road and onto a grass after his having got stuck on the inside of a corner and made an emergency manouvre. He eventually finished in fourth place on his home event taking advantage over Kalle Rovanpera's retimerement in Stage 19 and was the top Finn driver and the second top Toyota driver after the end of Rally Finland.
"They did a great job, I think", Latvala said about Pajari's performance in Finland.
"It was a difficult start on the first stage, and it was looking not so promising.
"But the way he was able to put himself together, he then became very strong and got a fastest stage time.
"He's very strong on the mental side, which was really good to see.
"I think he really showed his potential to be, let's say, a full-time Rally1 driver.
"At the moment his focus is on WRC2 because we want him to try to fight for the championship.
"He still has a chance, and we want him to concentrate on that.
"But of course, we are talking about what we would do with him for next year".
Source: Motorsport.com
Photo Credits: Toyota
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