Even if he himself admitted to having needed a few kilometers, in private tests, to find the rhythm of the WRC, Sébastien Ogier approaches the Croatia rally being in the rhythm. For his first race since the Monte Carlo, at the end of January, the eight-time world champion achieved the best time in the shakedown contested west of Zagreb, where the event is centered. The Toyota driver covered the 3.65 km of this test track in 1’55”7. He beat his teammate Elfyn Evans (1’56”4).
Behind, Thierry Neuville, current Championship leader, and Ott Tänak achieved exactly the same time, 1’57”1, at the wheel of their Hyundai i20 N Rally1. Next, we find Frenchman Adrien Fourmaux with his M-Sport Ford Puma Rally1 (1’58”2). Andreas Mikkelsn, back for his partial program with Hyundai (he was present at Monte Carlo), was the most diligent with four passes and achieved the 6th time (1’58”9). Takamoto Katsuta (Toyota) and Grégoire Munster (Ford M-Sport) bring up the rear for the top cars.
In WRC2, Frenchman Yohan Rossel (Citroën), winner of the category at Monte Carlo, set the best time ahead of his teammate Nikolay Gryazin and Toyota’s Finn Sami Pajari. After a starting ceremony this Thursday evening in the center of the Croatian capital, the event will begin Friday morning with a first stage comprising 8 special stages and 119.74 km timed. This will be the longest stage of the rally.
