The Croatia Rally returned to the calendar as the fourth round of the WRC after a one-year absence, featuring a new base in Rijeka. With seven of the ten stages completely new to the WRC, the challenge felt fresh and unpredictable, Adrien Fourmaux describing the roads as “a bit like Canarias and Corsica,” hinting at a technical mix of flowing asphalt and punishing cuts.
Thursday
Action began with a short 3.44 km shakedown, where Oliver Solberg set the pace ahead of Takamoto Katsuta, Thierry Neuville, Elfyn Evans and Fourmaux.
Unlike most WRC rounds, there were no competitive stages later in the day. Instead, the focus shifted to the ceremonial start, where thousands of fans filled the streets of Rijeka, creating a vibrant and anticipatory atmosphere ahead of the real action.
Friday
Friday immediately delivered drama. The demanding loop of Vodice – Brest, Lake Butoniga – Motovun, Beram – Cerovle and Učka, each run twice, tested both precision and endurance.
The rally’s first major incident came early. Just 4.8 km into SS1, Solberg’s rally came to a sudden end after heavy understeer sent him off the road and into the forest, a shocking retirement for one of the early favourites.
Jon Armstrong initially impressed, setting the third-fastest time on the opening stage. But his rally quickly unravelled. A front-left puncture in SS2 dropped him down the order, and despite maintaining competitive pace, accumulated damage forced him into retirement before the end of the morning loop.
SS2 proved particularly treacherous. Gravel dragged onto the asphalt caught out multiple drivers, including Fourmaux, who suffered a front-right puncture and plummeted 16 positions.
The brutality continued in SS3, where Evans overshot a right-hander and went off, forcing another retirement from the already shrinking Rally1 field.
With only six top-category cars remaining, the afternoon stages settled into a more controlled rhythm. Neuville began to assert himself, taking a stage win in SS7 and overtaking Katsuta to move into second place.
Friday standings
- 1️⃣ Sami Pajari – 1:12:18.5
- 2️⃣ Thierry Neuville – +13.7
- 3️⃣ Takamoto Katsuta – +14.6
Saturday
Saturday maintained the intensity, featuring another eight stages, Platak, Ravna Gora – Skrad, Generalski Stol – Zhidovo and Pecúrkovo Brdo – Mrežnički Novaki, run twice in reverse.
With all Rally1 crews restarting, Solberg delivered a remarkable comeback drive. He dominated the day in terms of outright speed, winning all but two stages due to punctures in those two.
Behind him, the fight for position remained fluid. In SS10, Katsuta briefly moved into second place, only to lose it again in the following stage as the margins remained razor-thin.
Fourmaux’s rally came to an end in SS12 after he struck a pole, damaging the rear-left of his car, another victim of the rally’s unforgiving nature.
Then came SS14, the defining stage of the day. Loose gravel and exposed rocks created chaos across the field. Katsuta, Hayden Paddon and McErlean all suffered punctures but managed to continue. Pajari, however, was less fortunate, forced to stop at 3.6 km to change a tyre, he lost over two minutes and dropped from the rally lead to third. Armstrong’s difficulties escalated stopping for a puncture and later hitting a bank, while Evans narrowly avoided another retirement after a moment of understeer.
Saturday standings
- 1️⃣ Thierry Neuville – 2:20:20.8
- 2️⃣ Takamoto Katsuta – +1:14.5
- 3️⃣ Sami Pajari – 1:46.4
Sunday
Sunday delivered a finale few could have predicted. With two passes through Bribir – Novi Vinodolski and Alan – Senj, the stage was set for a controlled run to the finish, but the rally had other ideas.
Neuville entered the day with a comfortable lead and made his intentions clear after SS18: no risks, just bringing the car home. Behind him, Solberg was in a league of his own, dominating the Super Sunday classification by winning all four stages.
But the decisive moment came in the Power Stage.
With victory seemingly secured, Neuville went off the road in the final stage, damaging his car and retiring in dramatic fashion. In an instant, a controlled victory turned into a complete loss, no points, no podium.
It opened the door for Katsuta.
In what became a bittersweet but significant triumph, Katsuta secured his second consecutive WRC victory. It was a win built on consistency rather than dominance, navigating a rally defined by punctures, accidents and relentless unpredictability.
Remarkably, only three Rally1 cars completed all stages, underlining the difficulty of the event. Even more telling was the presence of Yohan Rossel in fourth overall in a Lancia Rally2, a reflection of just how punishing the rally had been.
Final results
- 1️⃣ Takamoto Katsuta – 2:51:15.8
- 2️⃣ Sami Pajari – +20.7
- 3️⃣ Hayden Paddon – +1:47.0
Power Stage
Solberg once again showcased his raw pace to take maximum points, followed by Evans and Armstrong, while Pajari and Katsuta completed the top five, ensuring valuable points were still up for grabs despite the chaos of the rally.
Super Sunday
Solberg’s dominance extended across the final day, securing Super Sunday ahead of Evans and Armstrong, with Fourmaux and Pajari rounding out the top five.
