Lancia duo dominate opening day of Croatia Rally

Lancia drivers Yohan Rossel and Nikolay Gryazin moved to the top of the WRC2 standings during Friday’s action at the Croatia Rally. Rossel claimed four stage wins to his teammate's two, establishing a 22.1-second advantage at the front of the field. The pair managed the challenging, debris-strewn asphalt conditions effectively, avoiding the mechanical and tyre-related setbacks that hampered much of the competition.

Alejandro Cachón finished the day in third place behind the wheel of his Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, sitting roughly 20 seconds behind Gryazin. Léo Rossel and Roope Korhonen occupy fourth and fifth respectively, having navigated the stages without significant drama. Romet Jürgenson, who had been challenging for the podium spots early in the day, saw his progress stalled by an afternoon puncture that relegated him to seventh overall.

The field faced a difficult day marked by frequent tyre issues. Andreas Mikkelsen, driving a Škoda, suffered significant time losses after stopping twice to change flat tyres, leaving him outside the top ten. In the WRC Masters Cup, Johannes Keferböck currently maintains a substantial lead over Ugur Soylu.