2023 Croatia Rally

2023 Croatia Rally
Croatia Rally 2023
Round 4 of 13 in the 2023 World Rally Championship
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The Croatia Rally was the first tarmac rally on the calendar.
Host country Croatia
Rally baseZagreb
Dates run20 – 23 April 2023
Start locationSamobor, Zagreb County
Finish locationKumrovec, Krapina-Zagorje
Stages20 (301.26 km; 187.19 miles)[1]
Stage surfaceTarmac
Transport distance1,348.42 km (837.87 miles)
Overall distance1,649.68 km (1,025.06 miles)
Statistics
Crews registered57
Crews54 at start, 48 at finish
Overall results
Overall winnerUnited Kingdom Elfyn Evans
United Kingdom Scott Martin
Japan Toyota Gazoo Racing
2:50:54.3
Power Stage winnerBelgium Thierry Neuville
Belgium Martijn Wydaeghe
South Korea Hyundai Shell Mobil WRT
8:06.4
Support category results
WRC-2 winnerFrance Yohan Rossel
France Arnaud Dunand
France PH Sport
2:58:45.6
WRC-3 winnerRepublic of Ireland Eamonn Kelly
Republic of Ireland Conor Mohan
Republic of Ireland Motorsport Ireland Academy
3:20:15.7
J-WRC winnerRepublic of Ireland Eamonn Kelly
Republic of Ireland Conor Mohan
Republic of Ireland Motorsport Ireland Academy
3:20:15.7

The 2023 Croatia Rally (also known as the Rally Croatia 2023) was a motor racing event for rally cars that was held over four days between 20 and 23 April 2023.[2] It marked the 47th running of the Croatia Rally, and was the fourth round of the 2023 World Rally Championship, World Rally Championship-2 and World Rally Championship-3. The event was also the second round of the 2023 Junior World Rally Championship.[3] The 2023 event was based in Zagreb in Central Croatia and was contested over twenty special stages, covering a total competitive distance of 301.26 km (187.19 mi).[1]

Kalle Rovanperä and Jonne Halttunen were the defending rally winners. Their team, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT, were the defending manufacturer's winners.[4] Yohan Rossel and Valentin Sarreaud were the defending rally winners in the WRC-2 category.[5] Zoltán László and Tamás Kürti were the defending rally winners in the WRC-3 category.[6] Lauri Joona and Mikael Korhonen were the defending rally winners in the junior category.[7]

Elfyn Evans and Scott Martin won the rally, ending their victory drought since the 2021 Rally Finland. Their team, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT successfully defended their manufacturer's title.[8] Yohan Rossel and Arnaud Dunand successfully defended their titles in the World Rally Championship-2 category.[9] Eamonn Kelly and Conor Mohan won the World Rally Championship-3 category,[10] as well as the junior championship.[11]

Following an accident in the pre-event test, Hyundai Shell Mobis WRT driver Craig Breen died at the age of 33.[12]

  1. ^ a b "Itinerary Rally Croatia Rally 2023". eWRC-results.com. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
  2. ^ "WRC poewrs into 2023 with exciting new-look calendar". wrc.com. WRC Promoter GmbH. 25 November 2022. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  3. ^ "FIA World Rally Championship calendar for 2023 gets green light". Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. 25 November 2022. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  4. ^ "Rovanperä grabs last-gasp Croatia victory". wrc.com. WRC Promoter GmbH. 24 April 2022. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
  5. ^ "Rossel secures dominant WRC2 win". wrc.com. WRC Promoter GmbH. 24 April 2022. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
  6. ^ "László inherits WRC3 honours". wrc.com. WRC Promoter GmbH. 24 April 2022. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
  7. ^ "Joona claims shock junior WRC victory". wrc.com. WRC Promoter GmbH. 24 April 2022. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
  8. ^ "Evans powers to dominant Croatia Rally win". wrc.com. WRC Promoter GmbH. 23 April 2023. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  9. ^ "Rossel doubles up with WRC2 triumph in Croatia". wrc.com. WRC Promoter GmbH. 23 April 2023. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  10. ^ "Kelly profits from Pellier's late misfortune in WRC3". wrc.com. WRC Promoter GmbH. 23 April 2023. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  11. ^ "Kelly ignites title bid with junior WRC triumph". wrc.com. WRC Promoter GmbH. 23 April 2023. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  12. ^ "World Rally Champ Star Dead at 33... After Test Drive Crash". TMZ. 13 April 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2023.