Sébastien Ogier emerged victorious from a dramatic Croatia Rally, securing a thrilling one-two finish for TOYOTA GAZOO Racing (TGR-WRT) after a weekend of intense competition. This victory extends TGR-WRT’s perfect record on the challenging Croatian asphalt stages since they joined the FIA World Rally Championship calendar in 2021.
The rally, centered around Croatia’s capital Zagreb, threw everything at the drivers. Difficult weather conditions and fiercely close competition kept everyone on their toes, with the top two positions separated by a mere ten seconds throughout the event.
Friday saw Elfyn Evans locked in a tight battle for the lead with his championship rival Thierry Neuville (Hyundai). Ogier, starting further back, clawed back significant time with a stunning performance on the final stage, putting himself just 6.6 seconds behind the frontrunners.
The drama continued on the final day. A crucial second stage saw both Neuville and Evans lose valuable time due to incidents, while Ogier delivered a clean run to snatch the lead. Evans, despite a spin, managed to stay in second place.
Ogier held his nerve through the remaining stages to claim his 59th WRC victory and a remarkable 100th podium finish. Alongside co-driver Vincent Landais, he crossed the finish line 9.7 seconds ahead of Evans and Scott Martin.
This podium finish, coupled with his points haul on Sunday, keeps Evans within striking distance of the championship lead, trailing by just six points.
Takamoto Katsuta, partnered with co-driver Aaron Johnston, displayed a steady improvement in pace and confidence throughout the rally. He dominated the separate Super Sunday classification, winning both passes through the Trakošćan – Vrbno test, and secured a commendable fifth place overall.
The combined efforts of all three TGR-WRT crews solidified their lead in the manufacturers’ championship, extending the gap by seven points.
In only its second WRC outing on asphalt, the GR Yaris Rally2 driven by Sami Pajari and Enni Mälkönen impressed with a third-place finish in its category and a commendable tenth place overall. The pair even managed to secure four fastest stage times in their Printsport-run car.
Akio Toyoda, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Chairman, acknowledged the team’s exceptional performance while highlighting the demanding nature of the Croatian Rally. “I would like to thank everybody as all our crews completed this difficult rally with unpredictable weather.” he said. “The team always prepared various things for the changeable weather in Croatia at this time of the year … Maybe it was Kristian, the team’s meteorologist, who was feeling the most pressure this time. It is not possible to guess the weather 100%, but he predicts it with the accumulated knowledge and experience to guide the team. That’s a very hard job and I really appreciate his contribution to the team.“
Looking ahead, Toyoda emphasized the importance of good preparation for the next round in Portugal. “Although we won there last year, the other two cars did not finish, so it was a frustrating event for us. I hope that the preparation goes well so that all our cars will be able to complete the rally safely, and I’m sure Jari-Matti and the team members will continue their great job to be ready for that,” he concluded.
Both Ogier and Katsuta expressed their satisfaction with the results. Ogier praised the team’s overall performance and highlighted the significance of his 100th podium. Katsuta, while aiming for a stronger start in future rallies, acknowledged the positive momentum gained in Croatia.
The Croatia Rally win marks another dominant display by TOYOTA GAZOO Racing. As the championship progresses, the battle for the driver’s title promises to be a thrilling one, with Evans well-positioned to challenge for the top spot.
Final classification
- Sébastien Ogier/Vincent Landais (Toyota GR YARIS Rally1 HYBRID) 2h40m23.6s
- Elfyn Evans/Scott Martin (Toyota GR YARIS Rally1 HYBRID) +9.7s
- Thierry Neuville/Martijn Wydaeghe (Hyundai i20 N Rally1 HYBRID) +49.8s
- Ott Tänak/Martin Järveoja (Hyundai i20 N Rally1 HYBRID) +58.6s
- Takamoto Katsuta/Aaron Johnston (Toyota GR YARIS Rally1 HYBRID) +1m55.5