Ali Türkkan holds Junior WRC lead heading into final day
Ali Türkkan assumed the lead of the Junior WRC event on Saturday following a pivotal moment for Norberto Carlberg. Carlberg, who started the day in the lead, suffered a tire failure on stage 11. Opting to continue without stopping, he lost over 90 seconds, which allowed Türkkan to move to the front of the field.
Craig Rahill secured second overall at midday after a strong performance on the loop's longest test, though he was eventually overtaken by a resurgent Carlberg in the afternoon. Carlberg claimed victory on every stage following his puncture to close the gap, ending the day 30.5 seconds behind the leader. Rahill remains in third place, marking a successful showing in only his second Junior WRC event.
Further down the leaderboard, Gil Membrado recovered from a morning puncture to sit in fourth, leading Kerem Kazaz and Raúl Hernández. Leevi Lassila, who showed competitive pace early on, was forced to retire due to suspension damage on stage 14.
In addition to his Junior WRC lead, Türkkan also holds a commanding position in the WRC3 category, leading the field by over three minutes. The event concludes on Sunday with four final stages culminating in Opatija.
