The morning over Kvarner Bay welcomed the participants with thick mist that tightly wrapped the mountain peaks, signaling an extremely difficult conclusion to the struggle. What occurred on the closing tracks around Rijeka and Opatija will be remembered as a series of astonishing turnarounds that completely altered the course of the season. When it seemed that the situation was under control, the Croatian roads yet again showed their merciless face, proving that in this sport, certainty can be a trap.
The Elite Category: The Fall of a Leader and a Historic Japanese Triumph
In the class featuring the most powerful hybrid machines, a true shock occurred that will remain in the memory of fans for a long time. Thierry Neuville approached the final stage with great calm, controlling the situation. The Belgian driver dominated throughout the majority of the event, building a secure time cushion over the rest of the field. His driving was clean, precise, and it seemed that nothing would take the victory away from him.
On the track of the closing special stage, leading through spectacular and extremely narrow slopes above the sea, catastrophe struck. In a forest section where a lot of mud and damp leaves had been dragged onto the asphalt, the leader’s car suddenly lost grip. The machine struck a concrete protective block with its rear, causing serious damage to the suspension and the drive system. Despite desperate attempts to save the situation and a slow crawl toward the finish, the damage proved too severe. For the Belgian, it was a painful blow, stripping him of a nearly certain trophy in favor of the main pursuing driver.
This sudden turn of events opened the way to success for Takamoto Katsuta. The Japanese driver representing Toyota drove with great maturity throughout. He avoided unnecessary risks, looking after the condition of the tires and patiently waiting for the mistakes of opponents. At the finish line, he did not hide his great emotion when news of the leader’s problems reached him. This victory has a symbolic dimension – Katsuta proved that he can win on very technical and treacherous asphalt, which had previously been a weakness for him. Thanks to this result, the Japanese driver took the lead in the overall standings of the cycle, becoming the new leader of the world championship. On the podium beside him stood the young Finn Sami Pajari and the returning Hayden Paddon, who showed that he still possesses the pace to challenge the world elite.
The Customer Car Category: Legend Reborn and the Polish Battle for Points
Extremely fierce and even competition took place in the category of cars with slightly less power, serving as the direct hinterland for the elite. It was here that the eyes of all observers were turned toward the Lancia brand, which returned to the rally tracks with great ambitions and a new build. Yohan Rossel, sitting in this Italian machine, fought a murderous duel against drivers using cars of Czech and French production.
Rossel’s triumph in this class is a historical moment. The return of the legendary logo to the highest step of the podium sparked euphoria among the fans gathered in the service park. The battle lasted until the final meters, and the ultimate success was decided by a clever choice of tires for the changing conditions prevailing in the mountains. Drivers had to show great cunning, as the sun over the coast contrasted with the moisture deep within the forests.
Polish fans followed the progress of Kajetan Kajetanowicz and Maciej Szczepaniak with close attention. The Polish crew, showing great experience on European tracks, brought very valuable points to the finish line. Although conditions were exceptionally treacherous, the Poles avoided the traps that many of their direct competitors fell into. The Polish team emphasized at the finish that the specific nature of the Croatian asphalt required maximum focus and constant correction of the pace notes, as every corner cut brought a new layer of slippery dust onto the road.
The Junior Class: A Harsh Exam on the Road to Fame
The category intended for the youngest talents, in which all participants use identical machines, was a true festival of ambition and youthful courage. Young adepts of the rallying craft, fighting for the chance of a professional contract, did not spare their equipment. On the narrow, bumpy roads of Gorski Kotar, frequent changes in the lead occurred, and emotions reached their peak at every report from the control points.
The winner of the youth class showed not only raw speed but, above all, remarkable mental resilience. Many crews ended their run off the track or on the roadside with damaged wheels, unable to cope with the changing grip on the wet surface. Success in such difficult conditions is the best recommendation for those who wish to advance to the higher levels of the rallying hierarchy in the future. For the juniors, the Croatian asphalt was the most difficult test in their journey so far, requiring road-reading skills that no driving school can teach.
Summary: A New Chapter by the Adriatic
The decision to move the rally base from the inland to the Adriatic coast proved to be a brilliant move. The new tracks, combining the alpine character of the high mountain parts with the maritime climate, became a massive challenge for the engineers responsible for the machine setups. The racing characteristics of certain sections required surgical precision from the drivers, and every minor mistake was punished with the utmost severity by the hard rocks surrounding the road.
The finale in Croatia clearly showed that rallying is an unpredictable and cruel sport, yet beautiful in its volatility. When the dust after the final passes settled, it became clear that a new era in the rivalry for championship titles is arriving. The next round moves to the loose, gravel surface on the islands, where Takamoto Katsuta will face the extremely difficult task of defending the lead against rivals from the factory teams who are hungry for revenge. The competition is just gaining momentum, and the differences in the scoring promise a fight until the final meter of the concluding rally in the calendar.