Croatia Rally – Elfyn Evans in the lead, Ott Tänak in ambush

Ranking Rally Croatia 2023, Stage 2:

• Elfyn Evans et Scott Martin (Toyota), souvent critiqués pour leur manque de vaillance dans les moments tendus du WRC, were impeccable on the second stage of the Rally of Croatia 2023. Taken into the lead thanks to the crash of Thierry Neuville Saturday morning, the double world vice-champion finished 25” ahead of his closest rival.
• Their only rival for victory is Ott Tänak (M-Sport Ford). The Estonian tried to compensate for the lack of performance of his blue car with a spectacular sense of attack on the asphalt stages covered with gravel in the corners. But the 2019 world champion was slowed down by faulty brakes at the end of the stage.
• At Hyundai, il ne reste plus qu’Esapekka Lappi pour défendre l’honneur et la mémoire du regretté Craig Breen. The Finn, visibly tired with small eyes at the stop point of the specials, defends his 3rd position as best he can.
• Penalized by one minute Friday evening, Sébastien Ogier (Toyota) remonte patiemment dans la hiérarchie, en même temps que son équipier Kalle Rovanperä. Pierre-Louis Loubet (M-Sport Ford), en manque de confiance, a rétrogradé au classement.
• As has been the case since the very first special on Friday, Yohan Rossel and Arnaud Dunand (Citroën) are the masters of WRC2. The changes made by PH Sport to the C3 Rally2 are bearing fruit, but be careful! Nikolay Gryazin's Skoda Fabia got much closer during the second loop. Disappointment on the other hand for Nicolas Ciamin and Yannick Roche (Volkswagen) who ended their stage on the roof while they were riding in 2nd place:

Crash Nicolas Ciamin SS13 #CroatiaRally #WRC @DirtFishRally #WRCLive pic.twitter.com/Xtxh1cpeKk

— eWRC-results (@eWRCresults) April 22, 2023

• In Junior WRC, French rookies Laurent Pellier and Marine Pelamourgues do the job. Aboard their Ford Fiesta Rally3, they had a lead of 1'30" at the head of the category during the 15th special.
• The final stage of the 2023 Croatia Rally will begin on Sunday at 7:08 a.m. and can be followed live text on AUTOhebdo.com.