Pajari reveals his new co-driver… and explains his separation from Mälkönen

In 2025, Sami Pajari will change dimension. The young 23-year-old driver, fresh from winning a WRC2 title at the end of the Rally from Japan at the end of November, was appointed by Toyota in the premier class to compete in the entire 2025 season, on the GR Yaris Rally1. A promotion that 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-driver. Two weeks after the announcement of the end of his collaboration with Enni Mälkönen, Sami Pajari has already found a new co-driver in the person of Marko Salminen, aged 46.

“I am happy to announce that Marko Salminen is supporting me as a co-driver. You will see us at the Monza Rally Show this week. It will 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 championship WRC. 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 debut in rallying. In 2024, the Finnish co-driver collaborated with Yuki Yamamoto, a young protégé of the Toyota fold, in WRC2.

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. ☺️
2/2

— Sami Pajari (@samipajari) December 3, 2024

Pajari regrets poor communication over split with Mälkönen

Sami Pajari has therefore chosen experience for his debut in Rally1 as a regular driver with Toyota. His sudden separation from Enni Mälkönen, with whom he had been working since 2022, had caused a stir 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 better handled, recognizes the Finnish pilot. I should have explained the reasons for my decision more clearly and made it clear 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 because we wanted to focus on our last rally together. These kinds of decisions are never easy to make.

“While our collaboration has been very fruitful, it has also had its difficult moments, as in 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 am very sorry that we have not been able to find a solution to continue. I want to stress that I am very proud and grateful for the results we have achieved together. I hope you will understand that we both want to look to the future and refrain from any further comments.”

Sami Pajari and Marko Salminen will therefore meet again for the Monza Rally Show this weekend (6-8 December) before beginning their collaboration during the first round of the 2025 season, the Rallye Monte-Carlo (23-26 January 2025).

ALSO READ > WRC2 Title Winner Sami Pajari Ready for Rally1