Thierry Neuville vows to bounce back following Croatia Rally retirement

Thierry Neuville and co-driver Martijn Wydaeghe were poised to secure their first victory of the 2025 World Rally Championship season in Croatia, holding a lead of over a minute going into the final Wolf Power Stage. However, a miscalculation on a right-hand bend led their Hyundai i20 N to strike a concrete block, resulting in terminal suspension damage that forced their immediate retirement.

Following the incident, the victory was inherited by Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta and Aaron Johnston. Neuville expressed his remorse to the Hyundai mechanics and staff for the mistake, acknowledging that a slight error in his turn-in point caused the collision. The 37-year-old remains determined to move forward, stating that he and his team will continue to push for success as the season progresses.

Despite the disappointment, Neuville is already looking ahead to the next challenge on the WRC calendar. He is scheduled to return to competition at the Rally Islas Canarias, which takes place in the Canary Islands from April 23 to 26.