In 2025, Sami Pajari will change dimension. The young 23-year-old driver, just crowned with a WRC2 title acquired at the end of the Japan Rally at the end of November, was established by Toyota in the premier category to compete in the entire 2025 season, in the GR Yaris Rally1. A promotion which demonstrates the confidence placed by the Japanese manufacturer and the talent of the Finnish driver. And to pass this milestone, the recent WRC2 champion will change co-drivers. Two weeks after announcing the end of his collaboration with Enni Mälkönen, Sami Pajari has already found a new co-driver in 46-year-old Marko Salminen.
“I am happy to announce that Marko Salminen supports me as co-driver. You will see us participating in the Monza Rally Show this week. It’s going to be fun”he announced on his social networks. Sami Pajari and Marko Salminen know each other well, since the two men have already collaborated in the past, more precisely in 2020 and 2021, when the young Finn competed in the Junior WRC championship. Marko Salminen also worked at the highest level with Teemu Suninen in 2019 at M-Sport, but also with Takamoto Katsuta in 2017 and 2018 when the Japanese was making his stride in rallying. In 2024, the Finnish co-driver collaborated with Yuki Yamamoto, young protégé of the Toyota fold, in WRC2.
Pajari regrets poor communication about his separation from Mälkönen
Sami Pajari therefore chose experience for his debut in Rally1 as a starter with Toyota. His sudden separation from Enni Mälkönen, with whom he had worked since 2022, caused a lot of noise and raised several questions about the reasons for this breakup. On November 27, Sami Pajari wanted to explain himself in a message published on his social networks.
“The announcement that I will not continue my collaboration with Enni has sparked a lot of discussion and speculation in recent days. To be honest, the communication and timing of this matter could have been handled better, recognizes the Finnish pilot. I should have explained the reasons for my decision more clearly and clarified that it had already been discussed between us and therefore did not come as a surprise at the end of the last rally. I only announced my decision on Sunday, as we wanted to focus on our last rally together. This kind of decision is never easy to make. »
“While our collaboration has been very successful, it has also had its difficult moments, as with any relationship, and as young competitors in this sport, we have both found our way. As a driver, I have to make sure I have the best possible partner in the car, and I’m really sorry that we couldn’t find a solution to continue. I would like to emphasize that I am very proud and grateful for the results we have achieved together. I hope you understand that we both want to look to the future and refrain from further comment. »
Sami Pajari and Marko Salminen will therefore meet for the Monza Rally Show this weekend (December 6-8) before beginning their collaboration during the first round of the 2025 season, the Monte-Carlo Rally (January 23-26). 2025).
READ ALSO > Titled in WRC2, Sami Pajari is ready for Rally1
