Junior WRC
Carlberg carries Junior WRC momentum into Croatia
FIA Junior WRC’s rising stars face a very different challenge this week as the 2026 season resumes on the demanding asphalt of Croatia Rally.
The championship switches from Sweden’s snow and ice to sealed surfaces for round two, with a seven-car Ford Fiesta Rally3 Evo field set to tackle one of the year’s trickiest rallies.
Calle Carlberg heads to Croatia with early momentum on his side after opening his campaign with victory in Sweden, and the Swede is eager to keep that form rolling on terrain he has already enjoyed success on before.
“Rally Sweden feels like an eternity ago, so I'm really looking forward to getting back into the car; back doing what I love!” said Carlberg. “I have been to Croatia before, winning the 2025 event in the Junior ERC and it is an incredible place to rally. Of course, the location and stages are different this year, but I know the characteristics and they seem to work well for us. Both Jorgen and I are really looking forward to this next event.”
Croatia returns to the FIA World Rally Championship calendar with a fresh look for 2026, and its narrow, technical roads around Rijeka and Grobnik are expected to place a premium on confidence, commitment and precision. Cuts, changing grip and the ever-present risk of dirt being pulled onto the racing line should ensure another stern test for Junior WRC’s young crews.
Ali Türkkan in action on Rally Sweden earlier this year
© WRC
Among those aiming to hit back is Finland’s Leevi Lassila, who teams up once more with Mikko Lukka. Lassila expects patience and accuracy to be key if he is to emerge with a strong score from round two.
“Croatia will be challenging for sure,” Lassila said. “There’s lots of cutting and you need to be very precise with clean line. I’m looking for clean rally, and good result. I don’t want to take huge risks in this rally.”
Ali Türkkan also returns with unfinished business. The Turkish driver, co-driven by Oytun Albayrak, knows Croatia well enough to understand both its opportunities and its dangers and is targeting a far cleaner outcome this time.
“I am very excited to be back especially with Croatia,” Türkkan said. “For sure it’s going to be a difficult one with a lot of pollution on the road. For me, Tarmac rallies are less exhausting on the physical side but also they are more demanding on the mental side.
“I have been there before as my first ever JWRC rally and crashed while I was leading. This time it would be perfect to finish the rally on top!”
Spain’s Raúl Hernández and José Murado are back for round two, while compatriots Gil Membrado and Adrián Pérez continue their learning curve at world championship level on a surface Membrado is particularly looking forward to.
“I’m ready to start the second round of the JWRC in Croatia,” Membrado said. “I’ve prepared for the rally in a good way and I’m excited to start this new asphalt challenge. I know that the rally is going to be tough because of the unique Croatian asphalt, but I think that I will enjoy it a lot.”
Ireland’s Craig Rahill and Conor Smith also head to Croatia determined to reset after a frustrating opener. Rahill believes the move to asphalt could help him edge closer to the front, especially with extra preparation planned in the build-up to the event.
“I’m looking forward to getting back onto Tarmac now for the next round,” Rahill said. “We have taken the positives from Sweden and learned from our mistakes and are ready to reset and get stuck into Croatia. We did the Quattro River Rally last weekend with KMS Racing in preparation to get a feel for the Fiesta Rally3 Evo on Tarmac.”
Kerem Kazaz and Corentin Silvestre complete the entry and arrive in confident mood after additional asphalt running in Turkey ahead of the rally.
“We’ll be at our best for the second round of the season,” Kazaz said. “Coming straight from a Tarmac rally in Turkey to Croatia, our confidence is high. As always, the support of our sponsors gives us the extra boost we need going into the rally.”
FIA Junior WRC Championship Manager Maciej Woda said: “Sweden gave us a brilliant start to the season and Croatia now presents our crews with a completely different challenge. Switching from snow to asphalt at this stage of the year is never easy, but that is exactly what makes this championship such an important proving ground for young drivers. We have another strong field, a competitive group of crews and an event that will demand precision, discipline and maturity. I’m looking forward to seeing how they respond.”
