Back to Croatia
Last Croatia winner Sebastien Ogier will not compete in the event this year, since he is doing a part-time WRC . Photo: Christian Flodin / FotoINorr
The fourth round of the WRC 2026 is in Croatia. The balkan country last hosted a WRC event back in 2024, and has now returned, but at a new location, the coastal town of Rijeka, instead of capital Zagreb. Last time, Sebastien Ogier was the winner, but the frenchman will not return this year, as a part-time driver. as Toyota will start with four drivers. The totalt of WRC1 drivers is 9, and in total there is 51 registered crews that will start the event.
Hyundai driver Hayden Paddon will return in his part-time season, his second event after Monte Carlo, where he ended up on p11. Both full time drivers, Thierry Neuville and Adrien Fourmaux will start the rally for the team. Fourmaux has been close to some big results this year, earning him a fourth position in the championship standings, with 2024 champion Thierry Neuville down in seventh overall, not where he wants to be.
Croatia is the second event for the WRC juniors, that also drove in Sweden, of a total of five events in the season. The class leader is Calle Carlberg, with 12 stage wins on his home soil in Sweden, and fastest driver, with a totalt of 37 points. Finnish driver Leevi Lassila is second in the championship with 18 points, just ahead of spaniard driver Raul Hernandez on 15 points.
Rally Croatia is driven on tarmac, on narrow and demanding roads, often with beautiful landscapes. The rally also often attracting huge crowds, due to its accessebility.
Standings ahead of Croatia:
1) Elfvyn Evans, Toyota, 66p
2) Oliver Solberg, Toyota, 58p
3) Takamoto Katsuta, Toyota, 55p
4) Adrien Fourmaux, Hyundai, 48p
5) Sami Pajari, Toyota, 32p
6) Sebastien Ogier, Toyota, 26p
7) Thierry Neuville, Hyundai, 25p
8) Esapekka Lappi, Hyundai, 21p
9) Robert Virves, Skoda, 10p*
10) Gus Greensmith, Toyota, 8p*
*WRC2 driver
Team standings:
1) Toyota, 157p
2) Hyundai, 114p
3) Toyota team 2, 35p
4) M-sport, 23p
Written by: Christian Flodin