Aug 30 (Reuters) - Sami Pajari claimed his third win in a row as he secured victory in Rally Paraguay on Sunday, after Toyota teammates Takamoto Katsuta and co-driver Aaron Johnston suffered a crash that forced organisers to cancel the penultimate stage.
Katsuta and Johnston's car went up on two wheels before springing off the ground, rolling onto a roadside pole and knocking it down. Both crew members were unharmed, but went to hospital for precautionary checks.
“They are both ok. But of course the car is completely damaged," Toyota deputy team principal Juha Kankkunen said.
"It looked quite strange as it was very fast left and right hander and the rear snapped out and the front hit (a) small wall and it has kicked him on to two wheels. There was no space to do anything else."
Katsuta, who won in Kenya and Croatia earlier this season, fell to fourth position in the WRC standings, 56 points behind leader Elfyn Evans.
PAJARI CLOSES IN ON EVANS
Finland's Pajari, who had won the last two World Rally Championship rounds in Estonia and Finland, reduced his gap with Evans, who remains 20 points ahead in the standings with three rounds to go.
"Amazing. Big thanks to the team once again. It was not an easy rally, not easy for the drivers, but nevertheless not easy for the team," Pajari said.
"We are still trying to do the best we can in the championship, which is also not going too bad at the moment, so happy for that."
The championship continues with Rally Chile starting on September 10.
(Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in BengaluruEditing by Toby Davis)
