Pajari maintains lead as Croatia Rally intensity builds

Sami Pajari continues to lead the Croatia Rally following a tactical morning loop. The Toyota driver arrived at the midday service with a 12.4-second cushion over Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville, despite navigating challenging conditions characterized by unpredictable grip and debris on the road. Pajari maintained a measured pace throughout the stages, managing minor front-left wheel damage during the difficult Generalski Stol test to keep his rivals at bay.

Thierry Neuville remains the primary challenger, having reclaimed second place from Takamoto Katsuta after a significant time gain on the tenth and eleventh stages. Katsuta, who showed flashes of speed earlier in the morning, struggled with confidence on the dirt-covered roads and now sits 25.1 seconds off the lead. The field thinned further during the morning when Adrien Fourmaux retired on SS12 following a suspension-damaging incident.

Hayden Paddon moved up to fourth overall, benefiting from a clean run and the attrition ahead of him. While the lead trio battle for position, Oliver Solberg demonstrated notable pace, winning all four morning stages after his Friday setbacks. As the rally progresses into the afternoon, the focus remains on the narrow gap between Pajari and the chasing Hyundai entries.