The first day of Croatia Rally 2024 has come to an end. Elfyn Evans and Thierry Neuville lead the event after the day’s eight stages.
SS1, Krašić – Sošic 1
Hyundai driver Thierry Neuville topped the first stage of the weekend. As the championship leader set a time 6.6 seconds faster than Toyota driver Elfyn Evans. Sebastien Ogier finished third fastest on the stage, 14.5 seconds slower than Neuville and 7.9 seconds slower than Evans. Ott Tänak was the fourth fastest on the stage, 3.3 seconds slower than Ogier. Adrien Fourmaux rounded out the top five on the stage, finishing 2.6 seconds slower than Tänak.
SS2, Jaškovo – Mali Modruš Potok 1
Elfyn Evans answered Thierry Neuvile’s push with a stage win of his own on the second stage of Croatia Rally 2024. As the Welshman posted a time 1.7 seconds faster than Neuville to win his first stage of the weekend. Ott Tänak finished third fastest, 2.4 seconds slower than Evans and 0.7 seconds slower than Neuville. Adrien Fourmaux set the fourth fastest time on the stage, 1.8 seconds slower than Tänak. Sebastien Ogier rounded out the top five on the event’s second stage, finishing 0.6 seconds slower than Fourmaux. Thierry Neuville retained the event lead despite Evans winning the stage. Neuville now has a 4.9-second lead over Evans after the first two stages. Sebastien Ogier sits third overall, 17.6 seconds behind Neuville and 12.7 seconds behind Evans. Ott Tänak sits 0.9 seconds out of a top-three spot in fourth.
SS3, Ravna Gora – Skrad 1
Thierry Neuville claimed his second stage win of the day on the first run of the Ravna Gora-Skrad stage. Neuville set a time 3.5 seconds faster than Elfyn Evans to claim the stage win. Sebastien Ogier finished third fastest on the stage, 3.6
seconds slower than Neuville and 0.1 seconds slower than Evans. Adrien Fourmaux posted the fourth fastest time on the stage 4.9 seconds slower than Ogier. Ott Tänak rounded out the top five on the stage, finishing 3.1 seconds slower than Fourmaux. Thierry Neuville expanded his event lead to 8.4 seconds over Elfyn Evans after winning the stage. Sebastien Ogier retained third overall, now sitting 21.2 seconds behind Neuville and 12.8 behind Evans.
SS4, Platak 1
Thierry Neuville also claimed the stage win on the final stage of the morning loop. As the championship leader posted a time 0.2 seconds faster than Elfyn Evans to claim his third stage win of the day. Sebastien Ogier finished third fastest on the outing, 0.3 seconds slower than Neuville and a mere 0.1 seconds behind his teammate Elfyn Evans. Ott Tänak was fourth fastest on the stage, as Tänak set a time 6.9 seconds slower than Ogier. Adrien Fourmaux rounded out the top five on the stage, finishing three seconds slower than Tänak. Thierry Neuville once again expanded his lead over Elfyn Evans. As Neuville ended the morning loop with an 8.6-second lead over Evans. Sebastien Ogier retained third to end the loop, with the Frenchman now sitting 21.5 seconds behind Neuville and 12.9 seconds behind Evans.
SS5, Platak 2
Thierry Neuville kicked off the afternoon loop of Croatia Rally 2024’s first day in the same fashion as the morning loop, with a stage win. This time around Neuville set a time 1.5 seconds faster than Elfyn Evans to win his third consecutive stage. Sebastien Ogier was once again third fastest on the stage, 5.4 seconds slower than Neuville’s benchmark and 3.9 seconds behind Evans. Adrien Fourmaux posted the fourth-fastest time on the stage, five seconds slower than Ogier. Ott Tänak rounded out the top five on the stage, finishing 0.4 seconds slower than Fourmaux. Thierry Neuville expanded his lead to 10.1 seconds over Evans after the stage. Sebastien Ogier maintained his position after the stage, now sitting 26.9 seconds behind Neuville and 16.8 seconds behind Evans.
SS6, Ravna Gora – Skrad 2
Elfyn Evans brought Neuville’s stage win streak to an end on the sixth stage of Croatia Rally 2024. As the reigning event winner posted a time 1.1 seconds faster than Sebastien Ogier to claim the stage win. Ott Tänak finished third fastest on the outing, two seconds slower than Evans and 0.9 seconds slower than Ogier. Adrien Fourmaux was fourth fastest on the stage, setting a time 3.8 seconds slower than Tänak. Thierry Neuville rounded out the top five on the stage, finishing 4.2 seconds slower than Fourmaux. Elfyn Evans was able to cut Thierry Neuville’s lead down to just 0.1 seconds from 10.1 seconds. All advantage Neuville had is gone and it’s basically back to square one. Sebastien Ogier did retain his position yet again, with the former event winner now sitting 18 seconds behind Neuville and 17.9 seconds behind Evans.
SS7, Jaškovo – Mali Modruš Potok 2
The penultimate stage of the first and longest day of Croatia Rally 2024 saw Sebastien Ogier take his first stage win of the weekend. As the Frenchman set a time 0.3 seconds faster than Elfyn Evans to claim the stage win. Ott Tänak finished third fastest on the stage, 1.7 seconds behind Ogier and 1.4 behind Evans. Thierry Neuville posted the fourth fastest time, 0.3 seconds slower than Tänak. Adrien Fourmaux rounded out the top five on the stage, finishing 5.1 seconds slower than Neuville. Elfyn Evans was able to take the event lead despite not winning the stage. Evans now holds a 1.6-second lead over Neuville heading into the day’s final stage. Ogier was once again able to cut the gap between him and second and now sits 17.6 seconds behind Evans and 16 behind Neuville.
SS8, Krašić – Sošic 2
Sebastien Ogier ended the first day with his second stage win of the weekend. Ogier posted a time 9.2 seconds faster than Adrien Fourmaux to top the stage. Thierry Neuville finished third fastest on the stage, 9.4 seconds slower than Ogier and 0.2 seconds slower than Fourmaux. Takamoto Katsuta was fourth fastest on the stage, 1.1 seconds slower than Neuville. Ott Tänak rounded out the top five on the stage, finishing 0.2 seconds slower than Katsuta. Thierry Neuville was able to close the lead between himself and Elfyn Evans to tie for the lead at the end of the day. Ogier ended the day 6.6 seconds behind in third.
What To Expect From Croatia Rally 2024 Day Two
The second of three days will see drivers contest 108.76 km across another eight stages. The longest stage on the day is the 20.77 km Stojdraga-Gornja Vas stage which is the second stage of each loop. While the shortest stage of the day is the 8.78 km Vinski-Duga Resa stage which is the third stage of each loop. Unlike the first day the second day will feature one midday service for the drivers, the length of this service is 40 minutes. As previously mentioned Thierry Neuville and Elfyn Evans head into the second day in a tie for the lead. Ogier sits 6.6 seconds behind the pair. Ott Tänak sits fourth overall heading into the second day, 41.1 seconds behind Neuville and Evans and 34.5 seconds behind Ogier. Adrien Fourmaux rounds out the top five overall. As the Frenchman sits 11.6 seconds behind Tänak. Grégoire Munster will be first on the road, Andreas Mikkelsen will be second and Takamoto Katsuta third.