Pajari loses Croatia Rally lead following stage 14 puncture

Sami Pajari and co-driver Marko Salminen faced a difficult turn of events during SS14 at the Croatia Rally. The pair held a 12.7-second advantage before encountering trouble just 3.6 kilometers into the Generalski Stol - Zdihovo 2 stage, forcing them to halt for a wheel change.

This delay cost Pajari over two minutes, relegating him to third place in the overall standings. Thierry Neuville capitalized on the situation, successfully navigating the challenging conditions to establish a lead of 1 minute and 15.9 seconds over Takamoto Katsuta, who also struggled with a front-left puncture.

The stage proved treacherous for several competitors, with Hayden Paddon, Josh McErlean, and Jon Armstrong among those reporting tire damage on the debris-filled asphalt.