EN
HR
Traditionally, the Croatia Rally begins with a Ceremonial Start where all crews will be presented in front of the National and University Library in Zagreb on Thursday, April 18, 2024 in the evening, and ends on Sunday, April 21 with the awarding of trophies in front of the INA Business Building in Novi Zagreb.
The route of the competition also passes through this year five counties - Varaždinska, Krapina-Zagorska, Zagrebačka, Karlovačka, Primorsko-goranska and through the city of Zagreb.
Fourth edition
The title will be defended by a Welshman Elfyn Evans, and the eight-time world champion, the Frenchman Sebastien Ogier, the current leader in this year's championship, the Belgian Thierry Neuville, the young Frenchman Adrien Fourmaux, the 2019 world champion, the Estonian Ott Tanak, the Japanese Takamoto Katsuta, the Norwegian Andreas Mikkelsen and the Luxembourgian Gregoire Munster are also arriving in Croatia.
/ / / WRC Croatia Rally: Negotiations begin for a new competition cycle from 2025 to 2027.
"The three WRC Croatia Rallies so far have left the most beautiful and best memories for drivers and crews as well as spectators. I am convinced that we have all the necessary elements for this fourth edition to be spectacular. Our speed tests will once again put the masters of the wheel to the test and I'm sure there will be no shortage of excitement", he pointed out in the announcement of this year's WRC Croatia Rally, Daniel Shashkin, president of the organizing committee.
Neuville is currently leading the championship standings and hopes that this is the season in which he will shake off the epithet of eternal runner-up, he continues. Evans will defend his victory in Croatia, and today the finale from 2021 is being retold, when Ogier took the victory from him on the final speedway in Kumrovac by just 6 tenths of a second.
"We should not forget Tanak, Katsuta, Fourmaux... All of these are great drivers who will keep the large crowd on their toes from the first turn to the last", says Saškin.
/ / / As many as 73 percent of respondents from Croatia believe that it is worth spending on experiences
The biggest sports event in Croatia
As many as 22 crews arrive in the Rally2 competition, which will be led by the Frenchman Yohan Rossel, the Finnish Sami Pajari and the Spanish Pepe Lopez.
Croatia Rally is the second stop of the Junior WRC, where 18 drivers will fight for points, among whom is currently the best ranked Estonian Romet Jürgenson, who currently holds the second position.
A significant number registered this year as well Croatian drivers. Seven of them will try their hand at strong competition. Viliam Prodan, Jan Pokos and Slaven Šekuljica in class Rally3, Tomas Hrvatin, Željko Magličić and Igor Mandić in class Rally4 and Igor Tomljanović in class Rally5.
/ / / Last year, the WRC Croatia Rally brought over 105 million euros to Croatian tourism
"Croatia Rally is the largest sports event in Croatia with extremely large and important effects for all regions where it is held, as well as for the entire domestic economy and tourism", said the newly elected president of HAKS Robert Markt.
The road is not a runway
He added that this event is also extremely important for motor sports in Croatia, since it brings motor sports closer to citizens in strictly controlled conditions for enjoying this adrenaline sport.
"With special attention, we await the rides of our local drivers who, with their performances at such large and important competitions, are an inspiration to future generations of young drivers in Croatia, thus directly shaping the identity of motorsport in our country. Once again, on behalf of the Croatian Auto and Karting Association, all our members, in cooperation with the organizing committee of the WRC Croatia Rally, I want to send an important message to all the drivers and visitors of this year's races that the ROAD IS NOT A RUNWAY and that responsible behavior, respect for the rules and concern for other participants in traffic, the basic duty of all of us drivers", he said Market.
One of the most significant novelties of this year's competition is the new location of the service park, which was moved from Novi Zagreb to Westgate Shopping City due to technical requirements.
/ / / Gorski Kotar is ready to welcome the prestigious car competition
Photo: Uroš Modlic
Source: WRC Croatia Rally
