Sami Pajari and Marko Salminen extended their podium streak to three consecutive rounds in the Rally Croatia, which concluded on Sunday. The Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT2 crew, who had dropped from the rally lead on Saturday due to a puncture, climbed from third to second place on the final stage after a dramatic turn of events—marking the best result of their careers so far.
Returning to the WRC calendar after a one-year absence, Rally Croatia once again proved to be a demanding event. Known for its varied asphalt surfaces, the rally was this time based around the coastal region of Rijeka, with a large portion of the route new at WRC level. As in previous years, constantly changing grip levels and dirt dragged onto the road at cut sections were among the main talking points.
Action from the very start
The rally burst into life already on Friday morning when Oliver Solberg and Elliott Edmondson were forced to retire just five kilometres into the opening stage after running wide and ending up off the road.
Running first on the road, Elfyn Evans and Scott Martin set the benchmark time, with Pajari and Salminen going second fastest. Evans backed it up with another fastest time on the next stage, again with the Finns in second.
On stage three, however, Evans went off while leading, handing the rally lead to Pajari. The Finnish driver responded immediately by setting his first fastest time of the event and headed into the midday service with an 8.4-second lead over teammates Takamoto Katsuta and Aaron Johnston. The stage win also continued Pajari’s impressive Croatia record—he has now set at least one fastest time on all five of his appearances at the event.
“Not exactly what we expected at this stage of the rally. This stage suited me well but we need to improve on the others. The situation is good, but it’s still a long rally,” Pajari commented.
After service, the pace remained strong. Pajari opened the afternoon with another stage win and managed the dirtier sections carefully while still staying close to the front. The final stage of the day, Učka, once again went perfectly, bringing another commanding fastest time.
He ended Friday with a 13.7-second lead over Thierry Neuville and Martijn Wydaeghe, while Katsuta and Johnston were just 0.9 seconds further back.
“Quite a day. We saw already in the morning how easy it is to make a mistake. The morning didn’t feel that comfortable, but we drove smartly. In the afternoon I felt better and could really enjoy the driving, especially on the last stage.”
Saturday drama changes everything
Saturday quickly highlighted the impact of starting positions, with earlier retirees Solberg and Evans setting a blistering pace from the front. More crucial, however, was the battle among the leading trio, Katsuta, Neuville and Pajari.
Pajari’s day initially followed a perfect strategy: managing rough sections and attacking on cleaner roads. By the midday tyre-fitting zone in Karlovac, he still led by 12.4 seconds over Neuville, with Katsuta now 25.1 seconds behind.
The decisive moment came on the Pećurkovo Brdo – Mrežnički Novaki stage, where conditions had deteriorated dramatically, with dirt, gravel and debris covering the asphalt. Incidents occurred throughout the field. Katsuta suffered a puncture but pushed on to the finish.
Shortly after, Pajari also stopped around 3.6 kilometres into the stage to change a tyre. Neuville inherited the lead, with Katsuta second (+1:15.9) and Pajari third (+1:35.0).
“That’s it. No idea where it happened. But it is what it is,” Pajari said at the stage finish.
Further problems followed, as the replacement wheel was also damaged, and another rim was already bent. With no intact wheels left, the crew had to adopt a cautious approach for the rest of the day. By Saturday evening, positions had stabilised: Pajari held third, 31.9 seconds behind Katsuta and comfortably ahead of Hayden Paddon and John Kennard.
“Everything was going well, controlled and smooth, so it feels quite empty after what happened. It was a very demanding stage, and we weren’t the only ones to suffer. It was a slow puncture—we saw the warning early, but we had to stop and change it.”
Final-stage twist secures second place
Sunday featured two brand-new stages run twice along the Adriatic coastline. As expected, earlier retirees pushed hard for Super Sunday and Power Stage points, while the overall leaders focused on securing their positions.
Pajari delivered a consistent performance, setting the fastest pace among the leading trio and finishing fifth overall on Sunday.
Then came the decisive twist on the Power Stage: Neuville ran off early in the stage, damaging his car and eventually stopping to attempt repairs.
In a dramatic turn, Katsuta and Johnston suddenly found themselves on course for their second consecutive victory, while Pajari and Salminen were promoted to second plac, completing a Toyota one-two. Paddon and Kennard secured third.
For Pajari, it marked a third consecutive podium finish, along with additional points from Sunday and the Power Stage.
“Not many would have expected us to be fighting for the lead—and leading for such a large part of the rally, from stage three to fourteen. Everything was under control until a stone in the line changed things. The ending was quite dramatic, which shows how tough the rally was.
A third podium in a row feels great, and of course I’m happy with my first second place as well—as I am for Taka and Aaron’s second win. Still, there’s a bit of disappointment after leading for so long, but it gives us motivation for the next rally. The last few events have been very promising, and hopefully there’s even more to come. If I had to predict beforehand between Croatia and the Canaries, I would have said the Canaries would suit me better—so I’m really looking forward to it.”
The fifth round of the season will take place in Gran Canaria from April 23–26.