Drama as Katsuta wins to take WRC lead over Evans

Toyota's Takamoto Katsuta claimed the World Rally Championship lead after being handed a dramatic victory at Rally Croatia following Thierry Neuville's last-stage crash.

Hyundai driver Neuville, who won the title in 2024, held a lead of one minute and 15 seconds heading into the final stage but he slid wide on a bend and broke the suspension on his car against a concrete block.

The Belgian driver was forced to pull off the road with damage, which gifted Katsuta and Northern Ireland co-driver Aaron Johnston their second WRC victory in a row, while Sami Pajari and Hayden Paddon completed the podium.

Katsuta's victory, which comes after his maiden win in Kenya, means that Wales' Elfyn Evans has dropped to second in the standings and is seven points behind his Toyota team-mate.

Evans and co-driver Scott Martin crashed out of the lead on Friday after a rare error, but a strong showing for Super Sunday bonus points and on the closing power stage saw him claw back crucial points in the championship battle.

Motorsport Ireland's Josh McErlean missed out on the best finish of his WRC career after a puncture on Friday when running in fifth place, and a small electrical fire in his M-Sport Ford Puma on Saturday dropped him out of the points.

There was also disappointment for his team-mate Jon Armstrong, who was competing for a first podium when he crashed on Friday, while championship challenger Oliver Solberg was another victim of a gruelling opening day when he went off the road on the opening stage of the rally.

Neuville was chasing a first win of the season and it would have been an emotional win for Hyundai, who ran a tribute livery to the late Craig Breen on their car.

Breen died aged 33 in a testing accident ahead of Rally Croatia in April 2023.

The next event takes place on the Canary Islands from 23-26 April.

Image caption,

Thierry Neuville, running a tribute livery to his late Hyundai team-mate Craig Breen, crashed out of the lead on the final stage

Rally Croatia results

1. Takamoto Katsutu (JAP)/Aaron Johnston (IRL) Toyota 2:51:15.8

2. Sami Pajari (FIN)/Marko Salminen (FIN) Toyota +20.7 seconds

3. Hayden Paddon (NZL)/John Kennard (NZL) Hyundai + 2:07.7

15. Josh McErlean (IRL)/Eoiin Treacy (IRL) M-Sport Ford +12:23.1

20. Thierry Neuville (BEL)/Martin Wydaghe (BEL) Hyundai +20:00.8

24. Adrien Fourmaux (FRA)/Alex Coria (FRA) Hyundai +49:12.5

25. Jon Armstrong (IRL)/Shane Byrne (IRL) M-Sport Ford +49:31.1

27. Elfyn Evans (GBR)/Scott Martin (GBR) Toyota +56:14.8

32. Oliver Solberg (SWE)/Elliot Edmundson (GBR) Toyota +1:19:02.2

Championship standings

1. Takamoto Katsuta (JAP) 81 points

2. Elfyn Evans (GBR) 74

3. Oliver Solberg (SWE) 68

4. Sami Pajari (FIN) 53

5. Adrien Fourmaux (FRA) 49