Toyota’s new World Rally Championship signing Sami Pajari has announced that Marko Salminen will be his co-driver for his first full-time season in the Rally1 class next year.
Pajari has spent the last three years working alongside Enni Malkonen, but that partnership recently ended after winning the WRC2 title at last month’s Rally Japan.
The 23-year-old Finn cited that at this point of his career, it was the “best move to do” before a full-time promotion to Rally1, after enjoying three outings this year.
Pajari has now announced that compatriot Salminen will join him in the car for 2025 with the pair set to drive together at this weekend’s Monza Rally Show.
A social media post from Pajari read: “The contract is a dream come true for me and I’m really grateful to Toyota Gazoo Racing and the team for giving me this amazing opportunity.
“There have also been many important people who have been helping me and making this possible. Thank you.
Sami Pajari, Enni Mälkönen, Printsport Toyota GR Yaris Rally2
Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool
“I also know that this is where the hard work really starts to learn and to push for good results in the future.
“I’m glad to announce that I have Marko Salminen supporting me as my co-driver. You’ll see us competing in the Monza Rally Show this week. It will be fun.”
Salminen previously worked with Pajari in 2021 when the pair claimed the Junior WRC title together.
The 46-year-old has also competed at the top level in WRC alongside Teemu Suninen at M-Sport in 2019 and recently has been working with Toyota’s TGR Challenge Program drivers Yuki Yamamoto and Nao Otake.
While a co-driver switch has been seen as a gamble heading into 2025, Pajari is confident a navigator change won’t be an issue.
“In 2018 I won the Finnish junior championship with one co-driver, the next year I won the main Finnish championship with another co-driver,” he said at last week’s Toyota WRC 2025 launch.
Takamoto Katsuta, Marko Salminen, Ford Fiesta R5
Photo by: McKlein / Motorsport Images
“In 2021 the Junior WRC victory came with another co-driver and now the WRC2 championship with a fourth different co-driver.
“We have our reasons why we feel at this point of my career that this is the best move to do.
“We had a very nice three seasons with Enni and we achieved many, many nice things and this year we have won the WRC2 title and now it is time for something else.”