March 27, 2022 - WRC Croatia Rally 2022 returns to Croatian roads from April 21 to 24, featuring the best drivers in the motorsport world.

The first edition aroused great interest in Croatia and delighted the international motorsport community. The excellent organization was awarded a new three-year contract which put Croatia on the WRC map.

The first WRC Croatia Rally dramatically finished with winner Frenchman Sebastien Ogier - and exciting races await us this year as well. 

Schedule and stages: Where is WRC Croatia Rally 2022?
All locations in Croatia are known. 

Thursday, April 21, 2022

Shakedown Okić (9:01)
Friday, April 22, 2022

SS1: Mali Lipovec - Grdanjci 1 (8:33)
SS2: Stojdraga - Gornja Vas 1 (9:26)
SS3: Krasic - Vrskovac (10:19)
SS4: Pećurkovo brdo - Mrežnički Novaki 1 (11:32)
SS5: Mali Lipovec - Grdanjci 2 (15:05)
SS6: Stojdraga - Gornja Vas (15:58)
SS7: Krasic - Vrskovac 2 (16:51)
SS8: Pećurkovo Brdo - Mrežnički Novaki 2 (18:04)

Saturday, April 23, 2022

SS9: Kostanjevac – Petuš Vrh 1 (7:43)
SS10: Jaškovo – Mali Modruš Potok (8:419
SS11: Platak 1 (10:09)
SS12: Vinski Vrh – Duga Resa 1 (11:38)
SS13: Kostanjevac – Petruš Vrh 2 (15:16)
SS14: Jaškovo – Mali Modruš Potok 2 (16:14)
SS15: Platak 2 (17:42)
SS16: Vinski Vrh – Duga Resa 2 (19:08)

Sunday, April 24, 2022

SS17: Trakošćan – Vrbno 1 (7:18)
SS18: Zagorska Sela – Kumrovec 1 (8:38)
SS19: Trakošćan – Vrbno 2 (10:26)
SS20: Zagorska Sela – Kumrovec 2 (Power stage – 13:18)
Podij – Zagreb, Trg svetog Marka (15:30)

Croatia Rally 2022: Tickets and instructions for spectators

A special feature of this year's WRC Croatia Rally is the organized arrival of the audience. The organizers expect around 350,000 spectators from Croatia and abroad. Tickets range from 75 to 300 kuna and can be purchased HERE.

Who will drive the WRC Croatia Rally 2022? The order of the drivers before the race
Like last year, Kalle Rovanpera arrives in Croatia as the leader in the WRC rankings. The 2022 season is the first with a new generation of hybrid cars.

WRC standings after two races (Monte Carlo and Sweden):

1. Kalle Rovanpera (Toyota) 46
2. Thierry Neuville (Hyundai) 32
3. Sebastien Loeb (Ford) 27
4. Gus Greensmith (Ford) 20
5. Sebastien Ogier (Toyota) 19
6. Takamoto Katsuta (Toyota) 18
7. Craig Breen (Ford) 16
8. Esapekka Lappi (Toyota) 15
9. Andreas Mikkelsen (Škoda) 12
10. Olivier Solberg (Hyundai) 8
11. Ott Tanak (Hyundai) 5
12. Ole Christian Veiby (Volkswagen) 4
13. Elfyn Evans (Toyota) 4
14. Erik Cais (Ford) 2
15. Jari Huttunen (Ford) 2
16. Nikolaj Grjazin (Škoda) 1
17. Egon Kaur (Volkswagen) 1
18. Adrien Fourmaux (Ford) 0
19. Lorenzo Bertelli (Ford) 0

Which Croatian drivers are at the Croatia Rally?
The biggest Croatian hope will be Viliam Prodan, the Croatian rally champion. Last year, due to car problems, he had to finish the race early. 

Rally and Croatia: What is the WRC, and how did it get to Croatia?
After Formula 1, the WRC (World Rally Championship) is the largest car race in the world. It has been held since 1973. It is estimated to be watched by more than 850 million people, and the broadcast goes to 250 TV stations worldwide.

In addition to promotion, Croatian tourism will benefit as the WRC attracts thousands of high-paying guests. Croatia Rally is also a great promotion for motorsport in Croatia. 

In 2021, Croatia hosted the WRC caravan in Zagreb and its surroundings for the first time. This is due to many years of efforts of the organizers whose perseverance and effort defeated much richer countries and were given the opportunity to host this great sporting event.

Source: Gol.hr

To read more about sports in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

ZAGREB, 30 Jan 2022 - WRC Croatia Rally, one of the most watched sporting events in the world, returns to Croatia in April for the first time with spectators, who will be able to watch the world's best rally drivers in a total of 20 speed tests through five Croatian counties.

Thanks to the excellent organisation of the sporting and accompanying part of last year's debut race, Croatia has been cited many times as a breath of fresh air and a real surprise on the WRC calendar. The organisers were given the opportunity to extend the contract for the event for at least two more years.

WRC Croatia Rally, which will bring together the world's best rally drivers, will be held on 21-24 April with speed tests through five Croatian counties -- Zagreb, Karlovac, Krapina- Zagorje, Primorje-Gorski Kotar and Varaždin -- while the ceremonial start and finish will be in Zagreb.

This year, it is expected that there will be a record number of spectators at a sporting event in our country. The organisers estimate that there may be over 350,000 spectators in special fan zones and along the track, expected to arrive from Europe and from all over the world.

"It is a huge success for our country to have Croatia included in the world calendar, to bring the world championship here and organise the race at such a high level", said Davorin Štetner, president of the Croatian Automobile and Karting Federation.

This year the WRC is celebrating its 50th anniversary, and the 2022 season was launched last weekend in Monte Carlo.

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

ZAGREB, 26 April, 2021 - Belgian Thierry Neuville, who came in third in Croatia Rally, the third round of the World Rally Championship (WRC), will donate €4,000 for the reconstruction of the building of the General Hospital "Dr Ivo Pedišić" in Sisak.

Neuville has shown that in addition to being an excellent rally driver, he is also a great humanitarian as he joined the international humanitarian campaign "Together to the Finish Line", which was launched at the end of March by the Croatia Rally organising committee with the support of the WRC and the Croatian Red Cross as the project holder.

Neuville's team thanked the organisers for a great rally which took place this weekend at the local roads of Karlovac, Krapina-Zagorje and Zagreb counties and the City of Zagreb. They said that everyone was extremely happy and satisfied with their stay in Croatia.

Together with his colleagues Sebastien Ogier and Teemu Suninen, Neuville has been supporting the humanitarian campaign since the very start, and the Belgian had announced that he would donate €2,000 for participating and €4,000 if he won second or third place.

After a great weekend on local Croatian roads, the Belgian finished third, together with his co-driver Martijn Wydaeghe. Interestingly, the Belgian crew was third in all of the three rounds of this year's WRC, and it is ranked second in it overall WRC standings.

All those interested can support the excellent sports-humanitarian initiative until 30 April by donating to account HR2023600001502892305.

To read more news from Croatia, follow our dedicated page.

April 25, 2021 - The current and seven-time world champion Frenchman Sebastien Ogier (Toyota) won the first edition of the Croatia Rally, the third World Rally Championship, on Sunday.

Just before the last gear, the Welshman Elfyn Evans (Toyota) had a 3.9-second advantage over Ogier but made a mistake in the last turn of the rally and lost the victory by only six-tenths of a second. Ogier thus reached the 51st triumph in his career.

Evans finished in second place (+0.6), and third place went to Thierry Neuville (Hyundai), who drove great in reverse gear, but at one point spun on the track and lost several precious seconds.

The winner of the Finnish Arctic Rally, Estonian Ott Tänak (Hyundai), was fourth with a minute and 25.1 seconds behind the winner.

Ogier was the leader after the first two days of the rally, i.e., after 16 of the 20 scheduled special stages. On Sunday, the last day, he came in with a 6.9-second lead over British teammate Elfyn Evans and 10.4 seconds ahead of Belgium's Thierry Neuville (Hyundai).

On the way to today's first gear, Ogier had a minor traffic accident on Avenue Dubrovnik. The world champion was heading east and then tried to rearrange himself in the right lane and was then hit by a personal car, which hit the back of Ogier’s Toyota. No one was injured, and Ogier continued to race. Further precious seconds were lost in the 18th gear where Evans took the initiative and skipped over them.

The last day of the Croatia Rally started with the 17th speed test Bliznec - Pila (25.2 km), and Evans was brilliant and the fastest on the 17th and 18th speed, while Thierry Neuville had the best time on the penultimate speed test.

The last speed (Zagorska Sela - Kumrovec, 14.09 km) is the so-called "power stage" where drivers have extra points for the World Cup. Elfyn Evans took the lead; in second place was Ogier with 3.9 seconds behind, while in third was Neuville with 8.0 seconds less time. But in the last gear, Ogier was the fastest and surpassed Evans.

Source: HRT

To follow the latest sports news in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

To learn more about sport in Croatia, CLICK HERE. 

April 25, 2021 - The president of the International Automobile Federation Jean Todt visits Rimac Automobili.

Sportske Novosti reports that the president of the International Automobile Federation, Jean Todt, arrived at the World Rally Championship Croatia Rally, which is being held in Croatia this weekend. The first man of the FIA, whose decision was crucial for Croatia's entry into the WRC calendar, shared his first impressions.

"Maybe we should ask people who have been involved in the organization and implementation of the rally from the beginning, but according to what I heard from the participants of the race, the impressions are good, and everyone is satisfied. In Croatia, we won a very demanding competition, an uncertain race that requires the creativity of the team and the driver. The weather is great, the fight on the track is open, and first impressions are good, but we need to wait for the end of the race for the final grade," Todt said.

"This season, some legendary rally races such as Greece and Kenya are returning to the WRC calendar, but Croatia, along with Estonia and a new race in Finland, further enriches the World Championship, and I think that this year we will enjoy an interesting season despite the problems brought on by the pandemic. Croatia has so far been known in the world as a tourist country, and from now on, it will be a country that hosts the WRC. It’s just a new step in the history of car racing and a good reminder of the first club founded 115 years ago."

Emphasizing the great efforts of the rally organizers and the Croatian Car and Karting Association, Todt also recalled the recently deceased Mayor of Zagreb, Milan Bandić.

"I visited Croatia several times on the occasion of the WRC race, and Milan Bandić was one of the people who always supported the whole project. He put a lot of personal effort into making it happen in the end. Unfortunately, he is no longer with us, and I think that in the end, this rally should be dedicated to him," said Todt, who on Saturday had the opportunity to visit the plants where Rimac cars are made and take a short test lap in one of his prototypes in Sveta Nedelja.

"I really appreciate people who can push the boundaries, and Mate Rimac is one of them. I was impressed by the acceleration achieved by his cars, but even more by the vision and passion behind everything he has done in just 10 years. It was necessary to have the guts to start developing an electric hypersport car when electric cars were just exotic. I was also introduced to his plans and future projects, and you have to respect and support such things."

To follow the latest sports news in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

To learn more about sport in Croatia, CLICK HERE. 

April 25, 2021 - The world motorsport elite gathered in Zagreb to celebrate 115 years of dedicated work to auto racing in Croatia.

More than a century of continuous commitment to the development and promotion of motorsport in Croatia briefly turned Zagreb into the capital of auto racing on Saturday evening. 

A gala dinner to celebrate 115 years of organized auto racing in Croatia gathered the leading people of world motorsport in Zagreb. Organized by the Croatian Car and Karting Association (HAKS) and president Davorin Štetner, the president of the World Automobile Federation (FIA) Jean Todt, the former Formula 1 world champion, Canadian Jacques Villeneuve, the owner of Rimac Automobili, Mate Rimac, and the cream of the world and European sports arrived in Zagreb!

Mate Rimac, Jacques Villeneuve, Jean Todt, Davorin Štetner

"It is an incredible passion that we could see in the film about the development of organized auto racing in Croatia and the development of the sport in these 115 years. That energy is encouraging, and the whole FIA ​​is looking forward to it," said Jean Todt, adding that the WRC race in Croatia proved to be exciting and well organized.

"This is thanks to the federation, the organizers, the Government of the Republic of Croatia, and the City of Zagreb, and it is really worth watching the drivers compete on difficult tracks, where there is no room for error."

After taking Jean Todt through his complex in the Concept Two car on Saturday, Mate Rimac stated that the arrival of the world motorsport greats is the greatest recognition for Croatia and the Croatian Car and Karting Association.

"All these people who came here are important people who see positive things in our country - the energy of people who are committed to organizing races like this in Croatia. This is important for us, not only in sports but also in economic terms," Rimac said.

The host, the president of the Croatian Car and Karting Association Davorin Štetner, said in an emotional speech that the response of the guests, the great effort of all involved in the sport, but also the current WRC race in Croatia is a great recognition of the efforts of octane enthusiasts for decades.

"Courage, passion, endurance, and the ability to constantly adapt to unpredictable conditions - these characteristics are essential for our sport. I want to thank everyone who contributed in any way to the development of the sport. This dinner was conceived a little differently, but the pandemic ruled, and we couldn’t celebrate it with representatives of the 88 clubs that actually make up the alliance. The names gathered at the Sheraton today are the pinnacle of world motorsport, and I am very proud to have this recognition! Our 115 years, top experts, and most importantly - an interested audience, are responsible for the fact that the country is today in the rank of the best hosts, drivers, and organizers of car races. Regarding the WRC, it is the icing on the cake of this celebration, and the teamwork of all involved is deserving of winning the race and excellent grades so far. Still, we will celebrate on Sunday afternoon when the race is over. The match for WRC to stay in Croatia starts already at this moment, and I hope that after these first days of racing, all institutions have recognized its size and importance! I am encouraged by the words addressed to me these days by the owner of the WRC, the president of the FIA, and the leaders of the strongest teams," said Štetner, reminding that this HAKS anniversary will be further enhanced by the race at Grobnik in September, when Jacques Villeneuve, the 1997 F1 world champion, will be on the track as part of the NASCAR GP.

"It is never easy to organize a world competition for the first time, and the team from Croatia succeeded. Congratulations to Davorin, at whose invitation I came and to the whole team," Villeneuve commented after the WRC ceremony. "Croatia is beautiful, and I look forward to every arrival, especially when the weather is nice. So far, I have only passed the track in Grobnik on video games, so I'm looking forward to the ride."

The world's elite at the celebration also included one of the best rally drivers in history and the current president of the FIA ​​Committee for Women in Motorsports, Michèle Mouton, still, the only woman to win races in the highest FIA World Championship competitions (with male competition), NASCAR Euro Series President Jérôme Galpin, former rally driver who brought the prestigious NASCAR to Europe, WRC Hyundai team chief Andrea Adamo, and Ford M-Sport team chief Malcolm Wilson.

It also included WRC general manager Jona Siebel, who said that the enthusiasm and teamwork of all succeeded, and the WRC owner Thomas Krohne himself. The guests were also addressed by the Acting Mayor of the City of Zagreb, Jelena Pavičić Vukičević, and along with the Minister of Labor, Pensions, Family and Social Policy Josip Aladrović and the Greek Minister of Sports Eleftherios Avgenakis. The ceremony was also attended by State Secretary for Sports Tomislav Družak and sales director of Bell helicopters for Europe and Russia Simon Sirancov, and presidents of the Slovenian and Hungarian automotive associations.

The Croatian Car and Karting Association marked the beginning of the first organized activity when the first Croatian Automobile Club in Zagreb was founded on April 1, 1906. The Croatian Car and Karting Association was formed from this club, today the umbrella and only competent body for organizing, conducting, and supervising all car and karting competitions in Croatia. As many as nine HAKS representatives are active in the bodies of the World Automobile Federation - FIA.

To follow the latest sports news in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

To learn more about sport in Croatia, CLICK HERE. 

April 9, 2021 - Everything is ready for the Croatia Rally 2021, and the best rally crews in the world have already started testing the Croatian asphalt.

Today's most famous rally drivers will collect points for the World Rally Championship (WRC) from April 22 to 25 at the Croatia Rally. Croatia is the third stage in this year's WRC calendar, and it will be driven on the local roads of Zagreb, Karlovac, and Krapina-Zagorje counties, and the City of Zagreb, reports GP1.

At today's press conference, a detailed plan of all upcoming activities as part of the sports spectacle in Croatia for the first time was presented. The plan was presented by Daniel Šaškin, President of the Croatia Rally Organizing Committee, Davorin Štetner, President of the Croatian Car and Karting Association, Slaven Dedić, Director of Croatia Rally, and Željko Štefanić, director of the Croatia Rally competition. Support was also given by Tomislav Družak, State Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, and Milan Pavelić, Head of the Zagreb City Office for Sports and Youth. WRC Director-General Jona Siebel also addressed the audience with a video message. The press conference was attended by Krešimir Šamija, Director of the Sports Directorate at the Ministry of Tourism and Sports.

"After years of preparation and thousands of hours of work, we have only 13 days left until the start of the World Rally Championship in Croatia. We are extremely proud and excited that today's best drivers will race on our roads and that we have succeeded in our intention to make Croatia part of a top rally story that is watched by almost a billion spectators around the world every year. It is a great success that would not have happened without our partners and sponsors' strong support, whom I thank from the bottom of my heart. It should be mentioned more than a thousand people will work hard to organize the largest sporting event in our country after many years. The eyes of the entire automotive world will be fixed on our country these few weeks, and I am sure that we will justify the trust of the FIA and the WRC Promoter," said Daniel Šaškin.

The best crews in the world can expect a total of 300 kilometers of speed tests, which are characterized by narrow and winding roads with numerous passes. The Croatian stage of the World Rally Championship is characteristic because it is the first completely asphalt rally this season. Numerous changes to the asphalt surface will require teams to adjust vehicle settings and find optimal tires.

"By organizing this spectacle in challenging conditions, we will show that Croatia is a responsible partner for the world's biggest events. With the strong support of primarily the City of Zagreb and other local government units, the Croatian police, firefighters, and other institutions, and of course, many Croatian automotive clubs, we are ready for the final step of the organization itself. In April 1906, 115 years ago, the First Croatian Automobile Club was founded - the predecessor of the Croatian Car and Karting Association, and we will mark this great anniversary during the WRC race. The most important people in world sports led by FIA President Jean Todt have announced their arrival in Croatia. Croatia is expecting incredible media promotion at the international level because hundreds of the world's strongest media report on the event," added Davorin Štetner.

A total of 68 crews have been confirmed for the Croatia Rally, and Croatia will have as many as seven representatives - Niko Pulić, Viliam Prodan, Martin Ravenščak, Krešimir Ravenščak, Ivica Siladić, Mateo Butorac, and Željko Magličić. It should be noted that Pulić is registered to compete in the elite WRC class, while other local representatives will drive in Rally4 vehicles with front-wheel drive.

Experts point out that among the favorites to win the Croatia Rally is Belgian Thierry Neuville, who is the best on asphalt. He will fight for the trophy with rally legend and seven-time world champion Sébastien Ogier. His performance was confirmed by Estonian Ott Tänak, who is currently fifth in the overall standings. The biggest surprise this season, the young 20-year-old Finn Kalle Rovanperä, leads in the overall standings after 4th place in Monte Carlo and 2nd at home in Finland.

-You can follow all information and news on the official website rally-croatia.com and the official channels on Facebook and Instagram.

To follow the latest sports news in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

To learn more about sport in Croatia, CLICK HERE. 

March 26, 2021 - The World Rally Championship, Croatia Rally, and the Croatian Red Cross join forces to renovate Sisak's hospital, which was badly damaged after the earthquake.

As Tportal.hr reports, the Organizing Committee of the Croatia Rally, with the support of the World Rally Championship (WRC) and the Croatian Red Cross as the project leader, is launching an international humanitarian action ‘‘Together for a common goal’’ to help the General Hospital ‘Dr. Ivo Pedišić’ in Sisak.

The mentioned action will last from March 25 to April 30, and all funds collected by donations to the bank account HR2023600001502892305 in that period will be spent on the renovation of the Sisak hospital building.

Croatia Rally, which is included in the calendar of the World Rally Championship (WRC) for 2021, and which will host one of the world's most attractive sports events in Zagreb from April 22 to 25, is launching an initiative, with the help of citizens, to raise the financial resources needed for the successful reconstruction of the main health institution of the Sisak-Moslavina County destroyed in the earthquake of last December.

The organizers of this international humanitarian action decided to use the arrival of the world event in Croatia, which attracts the great interest of spectators every year, to help the local community, and support for this praiseworthy action comes from rally drivers Thierry Neuville, Sebastien Ogier, and Teemu Suninen. The popularity of the WRC is evidenced by the fact that, in recent years, WRC races have been watched on TV screens by about 836 million viewers, and 13 races have attracted more than 4 million viewers.

Photo: PIXSELL

‘‘From the very beginning of organizing and bringing the WRC to Croatia, we have been trying to use all ways to give our actions an additional contribution to our community. That is why our vision of the race from the very beginning goes beyond the framework of sports competition. In addition to the promotion of our country and the rich tourist offer, we are convinced that we can encourage citizens to show their big heart again and to help those who are in dire need. We will also promote the action outside Croatia and we believe in the support of many spectators around the world, and many drivers arriving in Croatia have already promised their contribution’’, said the president of the Organizing Committee of Croatia Rally, Daniel Šaškin.

The holder of the humanitarian action 'Together for a common goal' is the Croatian Red Cross, which continuously invests exceptional efforts and helps the affected areas.

Photo: PIXSELL

‘‘The World Rally Championship race is being organized on the territory of the Republic of Croatia for the first time. It is great recognition for our country, but also for motorsports. We are especially proud that the race has a humanitarian character and that the Croatian Red Cross was chosen as a partner in the implementation of the donation. We welcome the idea of ​​the organizers that the collected donations help to normalize life in the earthquake-affected area, primarily the Sisak hospital. The renovation of the hospital will raise the quality of life in the entire Sisak-Moslavina County. We are happy that even after the race and the announcement of the best drivers in Banovina, there will be a lasting trace of the humanity of the World Rally Championship motorists’’, said Robert Markt, Executive President of the Croatian Red Cross.

The director of the Sisak General Hospital expressed his gratitude and pointed out that he would invest the donated funds in the renovation of the General Hospital building so that it could serve its citizens as soon as possible.

‘‘In the devastating earthquake on December 29, 2020, OB ‘Dr. Ivo Pedišić’ in Sisak suffered great damage. Hospital buildings, medical equipment, inventory, and supplies of medicines were damaged. As time passes, we try to organize and provide the highest possible level of health care to all residents of Sisak-Moslavina County. It will certainly take a lot of effort, time, and resources for the hospital to start working at full capacity again. Therefore, we are grateful to the Organizing Committee of the Croatia Rally with the support of the World Rally Championship (WRC) and the Croatian Red Cross for the donation that will help rebuild and rehabilitate the hospital but also to continue to develop the hospital’’, said the director of the hospital, M.Sc. Tomislav Dujmenović, MD

All information about the humanitarian action can be found on the website of the Croatian Red Cross, and details about the sports spectacle that arrives in Croatia in April can be found on the official rally-croatia.com website and on their official social media channels on Facebook and Instagram.

You can participate in the humanitarian action by donating to the following bank account:

ZAGREBAČKA BANKA D.D. / HR2023600001502892305 / USER: CROATIAN RED CROSS / Reference number: 773; Swift: 773 / Description of payment: Croatia rally for Sisak hospital

To see the original article click here.

For more information about travel in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page.

March 23, 2021 - We're less than a month away until the start of the Croatia Rally 2021, the third race of the World Rally Championship.

HRT reports that this year, there will be more than 300 km of special stages at the Croatia Rally. Due to the epidemiological situation, the Super Special speed test will not be held at the Zagreb Fair. Still, the itinerary remains attractive and challenging enough for the best drivers in the world. The best crews and speedsters in the world will thus race in Croatia, particularly in the area of Zagreb and Zagreb, Karlovac, and Krapina-Zagorje counties.

The competition will begin with a ceremonial start in front of the National and University Library in Zagreb on April 22. It will last until April 25, when crews are expected to finish at Zagreb's St. Mark's Square.

"We hoped until the last moment and believed that we would be able to organize races at the Fair. But the epidemiological situation did not go our way. These are tests that would gather a larger number of people in a small space, and part would be driven inside the pavilion, so it would be difficult or impossible to maintain the prescribed epidemiological distance. The health of all participants is our number one priority, and we decided to shorten the itinerary. The rest of the competition will be held according to the schedule," said the Croatia Rally president of the Organizing Committee, Daniel Šaškin.

Despite the shortened route, Croatia Rally remains the first competition with more than 300 km of speed tests after the Rally Catalunya - Costa Daruda 2019. FIA ​​and WRC delegates were satisfied with what was seen in Croatia during last week's inspection. They believe holding the rally in a big city like Zagreb is a big plus, where, in addition to service, there will also be locations for the ceremonial start and finish. They also rated the speed tests as attractive and challenging.

"What makes us happy are the applications, and it is already clear that all WRC stars will be driving in Croatia, who will be fighting for important championship points on our tracks. Conceptually, after shortening the Croatia Rally route, it did not change significantly. The only location that will not be driven is at the Fair, near the service parking lot, and all other locations outside Zagreb will remain as planned. Friday and Saturday are reserved for expressways in the Samobor hills, Žumberak, and the Karlovac area. On Sunday, they will drive across Sljeme and in the vicinity of Kumrovec," said rally director Slaven Dedić.

Croatia Rally will score points for WRC, WRC-2, WRC-3, and Junior WRC. There will be a big fight in all classes, and currently leading in the strongest category is 20-year-old Finn Kalle Rovanperä, a Toyota driver. Second place is held by Belgian Thierry Neuville from Hyundai, while third is the seven-time world champion, Frenchman Sebastien Ogier from Toyota.

It is expected that the teams in Croatia will present the latest evolutions of cars for the first time because, in the first two competitions of the season, they did not need the maximum potential of competition vehicles due to wet and snowy conditions. The organizers still hope that the spectacle will not pass without spectators.

"In Estonia last year, the authorities allowed the holding of WRC competitions with the public in specially designated zones. I believe that something similar could be organized in Croatia. We have 150 kilometers of tracks, which potentially offer views from the road's left and right sides. There is no shortage of room to keep the epidemiological distance, and we have prepared special COVID protocols. They will have to be adhered to by all participants, officials, and spectators if allowed to come. For those who will not be able to be by the track, there are broadcasts on Croatian Radio and Television that I believe will have a large audience," concluded Šaškin.

You can read more about Croatia Rally 2021 HERE.

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

ZAGREB, 14 March 2021 - Croatia Rally will take place on 22-25 April as the next round of the World Rally Championship (WRC) after Arctic Rally Finland, and Croatia will host for the first time the best rally drivers of today and become the 34th country in history to host a WRC race.

About 80 teams are expected at Croatia Rally. The route will include local roads around Plešivica, Žumberak, and Karlovac and Krapina-Zagorje counties, while the initial special stage will be in Zagreb, the organizers said.

Croatia is the third of the 12 rounds of the 2021 championship, and the 22 special stages are over 300 kilometers long. It is unknown whether spectators will be allowed to be there, and organizers are awaiting a response from competent institutions.

We are only 45 days away from Croatia Rally. We will use the time to determine the final details of the competition, said Daniel Šaškin,  president of Croatia Rally organizing committee.

The results and standings after the first two rounds are very interesting. Finn Rovanpera is only 20 years old, the leading driver, which shows what talent he has. Interesting fights await us in all categories at Croatia Rally, and the 20th edition of Junior WRC also begins, he said.

Our rally is the first all-asphalt rally this season, so we will see how drivers will manage those conditions, Šaškin noted.

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.