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Toyota’s Finnish driver has surged into the thick of the World Rally Championship title fight over the past two rounds. Pajari claimed his maiden WRC victory in Estonia before immediately following it up with another triumph on home soil at Rally Finland. After two consecutive victories, Pajari has had a little time to catch his breath and enjoy his achievements before the decisive final stretch of the season. “Since Rally Finland it’s been nice to have some time to really enjoy and appreciate what we’ve achieved recently before we refocus on the coming rallies in South America,” Pajari said. Paraguay only joined the WRC calendar last year, so the event remains relatively new territory for all the leading drivers. Pajari finished sixth there last year. What particularly stayed with the Finn from his first visit to Paraguay was the enthusiasm of the local rally fans. Pajari also enjoyed the stages themselves. “It was great to go to Paraguay for the first time last year and see the excitement of all the fans there. It’s quite a nice rally to drive with really fast roads and some big jumps, which I always enjoy,” Pajari said. There is another side to Paraguay’s gravel roads, however. Alongside the fast sections, the route also features more technical and twisty stretches. The event can become particularly challenging if rain arrives in South America. “There are also some really twisty sections and if it rains, the surface can become crazy slippery.” Thanks to his two victories, Pajari has climbed to second in the World Rally Championship standings. He is 30 points behind championship-leading team-mate Elfyn Evans with four rounds remaining. The recent success does not change the Finn’s approach, however. Pajari intends to stick with the same formula that has delivered results in the previous two rallies. “Our recent results don’t change our approach for this event; we just have to continue trying to do the best job possible and hopefully we can keep achieving good results.” Rally Paraguay takes place from 27–30 August. It is the 11th round of the season and the first of two consecutive South American gravel rallies.