On the final day of the Croatia Rally, Oliver Solberg made headlines by clocking the fastest times, while Sami Pajari managed to fend off pressure from Thierry Neuville at the front of the pack. Unfortunately, Adrien Fourmaux’s hopes were dashed due to an unfortunate crash.
Tough Day on Treacherous Roads
The opening stage, ES9, set in Platak, offered no mercy to the drivers. Conditions were harsh, with dusty asphalt and high-altitude sections where snow created challenges. After their retirements on Friday, Elfyn Evans and Oliver Solberg bounced back, imposing a blistering pace that few could match.
Solberg shone by winning this stage with a 7.3-second lead over Evans and 15.0 seconds ahead of Pajari. The latter remained solid at the top of the overall standings, maintaining a 13.8-second lead over Neuville, who lost just a tenth in this stage. Meanwhile, Takamoto Katsuta trailed by 17.4 seconds, and Hayden Paddon was fourth, over a minute behind.
Difficult Roads and a Relentless Pace
In the next stage, Ravna Gora – Skrad 1, drivers faced more winding and dirty roads, particularly in wooded areas where dirt and leaves littered the path. Solberg once again was the fastest, but this time with a tighter margin: just 1.1 seconds ahead of Katsuta and 1.7 seconds over Evans.
Pajari, playing it safe, conceded 5.0 seconds, stating he didn’t want to take any “foolish risks,” similar to Neuville, who lost 5.9 seconds. Katsuta took considerable risks on a stage filled with surprises, according to Neuville, which cost him his second place overall to the Japanese driver by a margin of 1.2 seconds. Erlean, on the other hand, faced technical difficulties with his Ford, losing seven precious minutes.
Conditions Deteriorate Through the Stages
Next up was E11, Generalski Stol – Zdihovo 1, where dirt accumulated on the road. Solberg dominated this stage with a 13.9-second lead over Jon Armstrong and 17.4 seconds over Evans. Neuville finished 24.7 seconds behind Solberg, while Pajari was 27.4 seconds back. Katsuta expressed his doubts: “I wasn’t confident; there was dirt everywhere,” which cost him valuable time as he lost 44.3 seconds.
In the overall standings, Pajari maintained an 11.8-second lead over Neuville, who had regained the upper hand over Katsuta, now relegated to 27.5 seconds behind the leader.
Unfortunate Retirement for Fourmaux
The morning concluded with ES12, Pečurkovo Brdo – Mrežnički Novaki 1. This stage was notable for its brevity—less than 10 kilometers—but it didn’t spare the drivers. Adrien Fourmaux slid into a left turn and hit a pole on the rear right of his car, leading to his immediate retirement. His co-driver Alexandre Coria didn’t hide his despair: “Damn, Adrien…”
Status Quo at the Top of the Rally
Despite Fourmaux’s unfortunate incident, the competition remains tight. Solberg recorded a fourth consecutive fastest time ahead of Katsuta, Evans, Armstrong, and Pajari. The gaps tightened, with Pajari slightly extending his lead to push Neuville back to 12.4 seconds.
In Summary
- Pajari remains the rally leader with a comfortable margin.
- Solberg shines with multiple fastest times.
- Fourmaux retires after an unfortunate crash.
- Neuville and Katsuta battle for second place.
- Road conditions complicate the drivers’ tasks.
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