Rallying is just like that — it’s never over until the very end. When everything pointed towards a victory for Thierry Neuville, who held more than a one-minute lead going into the Power Stage, it was precisely there that the unthinkable happened. Neuville made a mistake and irreparably damaged the front-right suspension of his Hyundai. Just minutes away from savouring victory, he was faced with a harsh reality, relinquishing what seemed a certain triumph.
Hyundai were once again unable to defeat Toyota, as Takamoto Katsuta’s Yaris claimed an unexpected win. The Japanese driver secured his second consecutive victory in the 2026 WRC, following his previous success at the Safari Rally Kenya. Toyota achieved another one-two finish this season, while Katsuta made history as the first Japanese driver to lead the World Rally Championship.
For Hyundai, now increasingly distant from Toyota, this was an unthinkable outcome, with Hayden Paddon’s third place offering some consolation behind Sami Pajari, who delivered a consistent performance on his return to the top level of world rallying. It was also a welcome return for Lancia, who triumphed in the WRC2 category with Yohan Rossel, also achieving an impressive fourth place overall.
On Croatia’s treacherous asphalt stages, where punctures proved a nightmare for most contenders, Oliver Solberg had to relinquish his status as favourite after retiring on the very first stage. This handed the lead to his team-mate Elfyn Evans, who himself retired halfway through the third stage. From that point on, Sami Pajari’s Toyota took control of proceedings, with Thierry Neuville and Takamoto Katsuta in close pursuit.
On Saturday, Solberg set a blistering pace, winning four stages in a row, although still far from the lead, which was being contested between Pajari, Neuville and Katsuta. On the final day, in search of additional points on “Super Sunday”, Solberg was dominant ahead of Evans, while Jon Armstrong’s Ford Puma impressed with a very strong performance.
The drama for Neuville and Hyundai came in the Power Stage, where Solberg was once again the fastest, and Takamoto Katsuta was left with the unusual feeling of a victory that will surely go down as historic in the WRC.
In Croatia, Lancia also wrote an important chapter by winning the WRC2 category, with Yohan Rossel claiming an emphatic victory in the Lancia Ypsilon Rally2. He finished ahead of his brother Léo Rossel, who took second place in a Citroën C3, while another Lancia, driven by Nikolay Gryazin, finished third in the category and sixth overall — marking a fantastic return for the Italian marque to world rallying, where it has already written unforgettable chapters.
After Croatia, Takamoto Katsuta leads the 2026 WRC standings with 81 points, followed by Elfyn Evans with 74, Oliver Solberg with 68 and Sami Pajari with 52 points — all driving Toyota GR Yaris cars. The best-placed Hyundai is Adrien Fourmaux in fifth position with 49 points. Toyota dominates the manufacturers’ standings with 206 points, compared to Hyundai’s 141.
The next round of the 2026 WRC is scheduled for the Canary Islands from 23 to 26 April, ahead of the Vodafone Rally de Portugal, taking place from 7 to 10 May.