*This content was translated by AI.
The fourth round of the 2026 World Rally Championship (WRC) "Croatia Rally" was successfully completed in Rijeka, Croatia, on April 12 (local time).
The competition was held on a new course that combines the Adriatic Sea coast and mountainous terrain, and a fierce ranking battle took place on 20 special stages (SSs) with a total length of 300.28 km, covering the Gulf of Kvarner and the Istria Peninsula. The Croatian Rally is famous for its high-level Tarmac course, which is a mixture of smooth asphalt and rough concrete. In particular, amid the "Blind Crest" section, where visibility is limited due to hills, sudden environmental changes such as gravel flowing into the road surface due to aggressive driving by players have required a high level of concentration from drivers.
As a result of the competition, Takamoto Katsuta of the "Toyota Kaju Racing World Rally Team" won the top place once again following the last three rounds. With this victory, Katsuta won 81 points in total, raising him to the top spot in the Drivers' Championship alone. Elfin Evans (74 points), who is currently in second place, and Oliver Solberg (68 points), who is in third place, are closely chasing the lead, and the fierce competition at the top of the standings with a score difference of less than 15 points is expected to continue for the time being.
The heat of the WRC 2026 season leads to Spain. The fifth round, the "Islas Canaryas Rally," will be held from April 23 to 26 in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. As the course is characterized by the rough road surface and rapid altitude changes unique to volcanic terrain, the attention of motorsports fans around the world is expected to be once again focused.
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*This content was translated by AI.
