Sami Pajari now holds a 46.6‑second gap to power toward victory at Rally Finland after Sébastien Ogier’s crash on stage 17.
Ogier’s Run‑off upends the Leaders
Reigning world champion Ogier, alongside co‑driver Julien Ingrassia, enjoyed a 20.9‑second lead before their Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 veered into the trees. The car rolled multiple times, prompting organizers to cancel the remainder of stage 17.
Both occupants escaped without help, reporting themselves “generally OK,” and were later taken to the hospital for precautionary checks. The exact cause of the run‑off remains unknown.
Pajari Seizes the Home‑Rally Advantage
With Ogier’s exit, Pajari’s home‑country rally slipped clear, positioning him for back‑to‑back WRC wins. He must navigate two passes through the Himos‑Jämsä stage on Sunday to secure the title. “The afternoon loop has been managing the speed, but still having flow and rhythm,” he said, adding that the stage was still enjoyable.
When asked how she felt after taking the lead, Pajari quipped that she could “not hear you,” underscoring the speed of the rally and her focus.
Oliver Solberg and The Aftermath
Oliver Solberg emerged as Pajari’s nearest rival, keeping distance after avoiding the drama that affected many contenders. He expressed concern over Ogier and Ingrassia’s incident: “It was very scary to see Seb and Julien. Never nice to see and I hope they’re okay. That was nasty.”
Evans Bounces Back From a Mess
Championship leader Elfyn Evans finished the day third, 1m 36.3s behind Pajari, after his GR Yaris rolled and became stuck in a ditch during stage 14. Prior to the mishap, Evans had cut Ogier’s gap to 11.6 seconds.
With the help of spectators, Evans re‑entered the stage, losing more than 1m 40s and falling to fifth. Toyota mechanics performed a rapid repair during midday service, allowing him to return to contention without penalties.
“We didn’t have a 40‑minute service anymore and that was quite a job list,” Evans told Motorsport.com, adding that they geared the chassis, wing and all four corners back into shape, a “lot of precautionary work” that kept the car competitive.
Other Key Competitors and the Collisions
Hyundai’s Adrien Fourmaux vied for third, recording identical times with Evans after stage 17 before ultimately ceding the place by 3.8 seconds. He reflected: “We ended fourth tonight, we were sixth at the start of the morning. I gave everything this afternoon.”
Takamoto Katsuta finished fifth after a Saturday of setup experiments ahead of Super Sunday. Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville moved into sixth on the final stage, just 1.5 seconds ahead of M‑Sport‑Ford’s Josh McErlean, who endured a front‑left puncture.
M‑Sport’s Martins Sesks suffered a roll in the Saturday sprint, retreating with co‑driver Renars Francis unharmed and expected to restart Sunday. Toyota’s WRC team principal Jari‑Matti Latvala led the Rally2 class, sitting eighth overall, ahead of frontrunners Teemu Suninen and Robert Virves.
The day’s events illustrate how quickly fortunes can shift on the gravel of Rally Finland, leaving both manufacturers and drivers on the brink of triumph or thorough wipe‑out.
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