Rally Croatia promised excitement for the final round of the ERC season, and Day 1 delivered exactly that.
The crews tackled three stages, each repeated twice: Krašić, Hartje–Stojdraga, and Breganica–Smerovišće. In the opening loop, Jon Armstrong came out flying, building a strong lead of 22.5 seconds over Robert Virves and 30.4 seconds ahead of Mads Østberg.
It was not smooth sailing for everyone. Andrea Mabellini reported problems with his car, saying it was shaking under braking. Championship leader Miko Marczyk also had a scare when he overshot a junction, though he managed to continue without major issues.
Retirements began early. Matulka crashed on SS1 and was forced out with heavy damage, while Wagner suffered an accident in SS2 and also retired.
The second loop brought the biggest twist of the day. On SS4, Mabellini went off the road, ending his hopes of fighting for the ERC title. With his retirement, the championship picture shifted heavily in Marczyk’s favor.
Now, only Armstrong has a mathematical chance to snatch the crown. For that to happen, he would need to win the rally and score the maximum points (30 plus 5 from the Power Stage), while Marczyk would need to finish 14th or lower and miss out on Power Stage points.
Currently, Marczyk sits in sixth place overall, clearly taking a cautious approach. But with heavy rain forecast for tomorrow, nothing is guaranteed just yet.
End of Day 1 Results
- Jon Armstrong / Shane Byrne – 1:11:42.6
- Robert Virves / Jakko Viilo – +27.3
- Mads Østberg / Lorcan Moore – +47.6
The championship is almost sealed, but with unpredictable weather on the way, the fight is not over. Stay tuned for more action from Rally Croatia!