Takamoto Katsuta, a World Rally Championship driver, claimed victory at the Croatia Rally after Hyundai driver Thierry Neuville crashed on the final stage, dropping from a commanding lead and finishing provisionally 20th.
Neuville held a 1m15.4s advantage into the finale but lost the rear of his Hyundai i20 N and hit a concrete block, causing terminal front-right damage and more than a 20-minute delay; Thierry Neuville apologized after the incident.
The outcome gave Safari Rally Kenya winner Takamoto Katsuta a second consecutive WRC win, 20.7 seconds ahead of Sami Pajari, a Toyota driver, with Hyundai driver Hayden Paddon third.
The 20-stage asphalt event proved highly attritional after stage 14 left dirt and rocks on the surface, causing punctures that reshaped the leaderboard.
This summary is based on coverage by Motorsport.
Read the full article at Motorsport.
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