Sami Pajari and Enni Mälkönen continue their WRC2 campaign this week at the World Rally Championship (WRC) round in Poland. Fresh off their victory in Sardinia, the Finnish duo, driving a Printsport Racing serviced Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, now face the faster gravel roads of Poland. Their memories of winning the ERC3 category in Poland three years ago are still vivid. Adding to the excitement, there was a surprise announcement to start the week.
The Polish round marks a pivotal point in the WRC season, being the seventh of thirteen events, right at the halfway mark. The series transitions from the slower gravel rallies of the Mediterranean to the fast gravel stages of Northern Europe, including Poland, Latvia, and Finland.
In the WRC2 category, drivers can score points in seven rounds, with the six best results counting towards the championship. Pajari and Mälkönen currently hold fourth place in the WRC2 standings and second in the WRC2 Challenger series.
For the Finnish duo, Poland is the fourth scoring round of the season. However, the real bombshell came at the start of the week: their previously announced WRC debut in Toyota’s Rally1 car has been moved from Latvia to their home rally in Finland.
“It’s especially exciting to make my Rally1 debut at my home event,” Pajari remarked. “Although Latvia would have offered new roads for everyone, Finland’s roads are of course very familiar to me. Our testing is also done in Finland, so preparing the car on similar roads is a big advantage. It’s fantastic to have this opportunity in Finland, and I’m really looking forward to it. Driving a Rally1 car on Finland’s special stages will be thrilling and challenging, given their speed and the need to understand the car’s aerodynamics.”
“The main goal is to learn as much as possible, though I also plan to enjoy it. This feels like a dream coming true, but gaining experience is our primary aim. Overall, I’m incredibly excited about this opportunity.”
Preparation for the Polish round has proceeded as normally as possible, with a test day near the village of Ryn, about 20 kilometers north of Mikołajki, marking the start of the competition week. Pajari has a clear strategy for the rally itself.
“The same tactic as in previous events: full throttle. It will be interesting to see who’s at the top. There are many contenders again.”
The last time Poland featured in the WRC was in 2017, and after years at the ERC level, it’s now making its much-anticipated return to the WRC. Local favorites in the WRC2 category include Mikołaj Marczyk and Kajetan Kajetanowicz.
Pajari and Mälkönen’s previous experience in Poland dates back to 2021, when they competed in the ERC, winning the ERC3 category. This time, they’ll be driving on similar roads again.
“Some sections are the same, but we’re not going to use many of the old pacenotes. We’ve made so much progress over the years, it’s better and easier to craft all new ones. The memories of the roads help, though, giving us a sense of what to expect.”
“Compared to roads in Latvia and Lithuania, some sections here are similar, but generally, Polish roads are sandier, softer, and feature more jumps. They’re also perhaps narrower compared to Latvia,” Pajari explained.
The action in Poland officially kicks off on Thursday with a shakedown and an evening spectator stage at Mikołajki Arena, which will be run three times during the rally. All other stages will be run twice, with a total of nineteen stages over the weekend.
Friday features seven stages covering 113.5 kilometers, relying solely on tire changes for service. Saturday includes midday service, with seven stages totaling 124.1 kilometers. Both days’ routes head northeast, near the borders of Russia and Lithuania, while Sunday’s four stages, totaling 63.06 kilometers, stay closer to the rally base in Mikołajki, to the west.
Sunday’s stages, including two runs of the Mikołajki stage, conclude with the Power Stage in the early afternoon, ending with a twist on the spectator stage that has already been run three times.