Toyota’s Sami Pajari claimed an early lead at Rally Estonia after an impressive clean sweep of stage wins on Friday afternoon.
The Finn produced an impressive display on Estonia’s fast gravel roads to complete the opening loop of three stages unbeaten, with a 4.1s lead over last year’s event winner and team-mate Oliver Solberg.
“It feels really good. I’m really enjoying it and what a beautiful place to drive. It is going well. I recommend this [feeling] to anyone,” said Pajari, who started from fourth on the road.
Solberg emerged as Pajari’s nearest rival, although the Monte Carlo winner was far from happy behind the wheel of his GR Yaris Rally1. The Swede was unable to replicate the feeling he had in the car when he romped to a stunning maiden win on his Toyota Rally1 debut last year.
Solberg, eager to boost his title bid after crashes in four of the last five events, sat in third after the opening stage, before posting a time 0.3s slower than Pajari in SS2 (Karaski 1) to move into second.
Solberg headed to a remote tyre fitting zone at the end of the loop with a 0.8s margin over Hyundai’s Adrien Fourmaux.
Oliver Solberg, Elliott Edmondson, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1
Photo by: Toyota Racing
“The feeling is not there. I try my best, but it is far from good enough,” said Solberg. “If I don’t have the feeling, I don’t have the feeling. There is a long way to go but we need to quickly find the feeling.”
Fourmaux led Hyundai’s charge, but was fortunate to avoid running into a ditch following a wild moment over a jump in SS2 that inflicted light damage to the front of his i20 N Rally1 car.
“We have a decent pace, but I like to do more to be fair,” said Fourmaux, who ended the loop 4.9s behind.
Thierry Neuville reported struggles with the balance of his i20 N but managed to finish the loop in fourth, 3.5s ahead of reigning world champion Sebastien Ogier.
“We are just skating on top of the road, we are not getting the lateral grip to load the grip into the corner,” said Neuville. “I also had sticky feet, I was probably on the hot tarmac before the stage and my feet were sticking to the pedals. It was not very comfortable.”
Ogier, who was 14.6s behind, added: “It’s just the beginning of the race, so we will do our best and see where we are tonight.”
Joshua Mcerlean, Eoin Treacy, M-Sport Ford World Rally Team Ford Puma Rally1
Photo by: M-Sport
M-Sport Ford’s Josh McErlean impressed to hold sixth [+23,0s] ahead of Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta [+24.1s], Hyundai’s Esapekka Lappi [+26.7s] and championship leader Elfyn Evans [+27.5]. The latter had to face the worst of the road conditions, being first on the road.
Despite suffering a 20s penalty for being late out of service due to damage sustained in a shakedown off, Martins Sesks impressed to sit in 10th position, 1.3s behind Evans. M-Sport Ford’s Jon Armstrong completed the Rally1 field in 11th after losing 31.0s in the opening stage to a front left puncture that required a quick-thinking repair to the bodywork of his Ford Puma.
In WRC2, Estonia’s Robert Virves led Finland’s Mikko Heikkila by 0.2s, fellow Estonian Patrick Enok in third, 3.2s behind.
Crews will repeat the trio stages this afternoon before taking in super special to end the day’s leg.
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