WRC Chile: Oliver Solberg urges “clever” approach as tyre fears grow for Saturday

Sami Pajari, a three-time World Rally Championship winner, is seeking to understand why he has not been able to maintain his speed during the Rally Chile. The Finn, who was 20 points behind title rival Elfyn Evans before the race, is currently fifth in the standings, 1 minute and 15.5 seconds behind the leader, team-mate Oliver Solberg.

Despite recovering from a 17.8-second deficit in Friday's wet and muddy opening stage, Pajari drifted away from the lead after struggling on the dry gravel stages on Saturday. When asked about the reason for his slower performance, Pajari stated that the team was unable to replicate the best times, and he believes this is part of the sport, even for seasoned champions like Seb Ogier, who has won the title nine times.

Pajari acknowledged that the driving was okay on the second loop, but not sufficient to achieve the best times. He added that it is tricky to pinpoint the exact issue, but the team is looking into it to identify ways to improve in future rallies. The final four stages of the rally, including Sunday's Power Stage with 10 bonus points on offer, could be crucial for Pajari's championship hopes.

Solberg, the current rally leader, is also eager to maximize his performance on Sunday to boost his title aspirations.