WRC
Solberg fastest in Croatia Rally shakedown
Oliver Solberg set the pace on Thursday’s Croatia Rally shakedown, heading a Toyota Gazoo Racing 1-2 on the championship’s return to pure asphalt.
On the 3.44km warm-up test near Rijeka, Solberg’s opening-run benchmark of 2min 17.7sec remained unbeaten, leaving Safari Rally Kenya winner Takamoto Katsuta 0.4sec adrift after the Japanese driver improved on his third and final pass. Thierry Neuville was third fastest, 0.8sec back, as crews got their first competitive taste of Croatia’s dry and demanding Tarmac.
For Solberg, the outing was about more than outright speed. Competing in Croatia for the first time in Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 machinery, the Swede said the stage offered a valuable chance to build experience ahead of another all-asphalt challenge later this month.
“I think it is very important to have some racing conditions to learn this car for the Canary Islands,” he said. “First time in proper dry conditions so it is very different. The feeling is not so bad, so I'm happy.”
Katsuta, who arrives in Croatia on the back of his breakthrough Safari triumph, also expected a demanding weekend on roads likely to evolve quickly as cuts begin to drag debris onto the line.
“It was a nice three weeks, but a few days after Kenya we had to switch focus to this rally,” he said. “It will be a tricky rally as always. I will try my best of course. Saturday will be interesting with a lot of cutting.”
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Neuville, meanwhile, suggested the early running may not immediately favour Hyundai Motorsport, with the Belgian anticipating a settling-in process as the team works to fine-tune the car over the course of the rally.
“It will be a bit of a surprise for us after the first couple of stages to see where we are,” he said. “On stage two and three, conditions are not in our favour, but let’s see. We will work on the car throughout the weekend and we need to find the feeling. It is a very tricky rally. I like the stages, the new roads are beautiful, hopefully we can get it all together.”
Championship leader Elfyn Evans was fourth fastest, 1.3sec off the pace, as the Welshman prepared to open the road on Friday’s first full leg. Adrien Fourmaux completed the top five, a further 0.4sec behind.
Fourmaux, returning to the event where he made his top-class debut in 2021, was encouraged by the character of the new-look Croatia Rally route.
“It is always a special event to come here in Croatia for the team and also for me as I did my debut in the top class here in 2021,” he said. “It is a very different location and we can enjoy the sea and the landscape and a different type of profile for the road, so I think it is a good combo for the rally.”
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Hyundai’s third driver Hayden Paddon was sixth quickest on only his second start of the season, followed by Sami Pajari, Jon Armstrong and Josh McErlean. Pajari expected no easing-in period once the rally gets under way.
“It feels really nice and not so aggressive approach on the shakedown, but the feeling is really nice,” he said. “It will be really proper Tarmac action and you will need some big balls tomorrow morning straight away.”
Croatia Rally begins for real on Friday, with crews tackling a punishing opening leg based entirely in Istria. Eight stages and 126.86 competitive kilometres lie in wait as the championship’s first pure asphalt event of the year gets under way.
