The next fourth round of the FIA World Rally Championship attracted a total of 68 participants across various classes. Notably, the WRC3 category saw a significant increase in entries, with 21 Rally3 teams registered for the Croatia Rally, which will take place from April 18 to 21.
Held in Zagreb, the capital of Croatia, this event will be the first all-asphalt challenge of the season. Leading the championship battle is Thierry Neuville, who will be driving his i20 N Rally1 alongside his Hyundai teammates Ott Tänak and Andreas Mikkelsen. It is worth mentioning that Mikkelsen competes part-time for the Hyundai team. Additionally, eight-time WRC champion Sébastien Ogier will make his second appearance of the season with his Toyota GR Yaris teammates Elfyn Evans and Takamoto Katsuta. Ogier, who claimed victory in Croatia last year, is aiming for another win to further solidify his impressive record. Meanwhile, M-Sport Ford will be competing with two Pumas driven by Adrien Fourmaux, currently in third place in the standings, and the promising young talent Grégoire Munster.
In the WRC3 category, Mattéo Chatillon, the current champion of the Clio Gravel Trophy in France, will be leading the pack. At just 22 years old, he is gearing up for his debut in the category, driving a Renault vehicle while his competitors have chosen Ford Fiesta Rally3 cars. However, Chatillon is not the only competitor to watch. Filip Kohn, Jan Pokos, and Slaven Šekuljica are also determined to score points in WRC3. Additionally, another 18 teams will be competing in identical Fiestas built by M-Sport Poland, ready to compete in the highly competitive FIA Junior WRC. Among them are Romet Jürgenson and Eamonn Kelly, who finished on the podium in the first round, as well as rookie Ali Türkkan.
In the WRC2 category, the main entries include the Citroën C3 Rally2 pair of Yohan Rossel and Nikolay Gryazin, as well as the determined private drivers Nicolas Ciamin (Hyundai i20 N Rally2) and Pepe López (Škoda Fabia RS Rally2). Sami Pajari and Gus Greensmith will also participate in the rally, although they will not score points in this round.
