WRC, Sportrik Media - Takamoto Katsuta and co-driver Aaron Johnston secured an emotional victory at the 2026 Croatia Rally, a result carrying deep significance for the Irish rally community.
Croatia has remained a sensitive location within the World Rally Championship paddock since the passing of Craig Breen during a test accident in 2023. Since then, Hyundai has continued to run a special tribute livery at the event, while permanently displaying the words “For Craig” on the rear of its cars as a mark of respect.
Although Hyundai has yet to claim a victory in Croatia, Johnston’s success as an Irish co-driver added symbolic weight to the result. The win provided a moment of reflection and pride for the Irish rallying community at a venue closely associated with loss.
“It’s a country that is very close to everyone in the Irish rallying community with Craig’s passing here and the anniversary tomorrow,” Johnston told DirtFish.
“So, big respect to Hyundai for running a special livery for Craig this weekend. He is always in our memory. To have an Irishman win again in Croatia is something special.”
The outcome itself came in unexpected circumstances. Katsuta and Johnston initially believed they had finished second, unaware of an incident affecting Thierry Neuville on the final stage.
“It has been a challenging rally with a lot of drama, and we were fighting for victory until our puncture yesterday,” Johnston explained.
“After losing over a minute, we thought we were out of contention. But anything can happen in rally, and this time it went in our favor.”
He also expressed sympathy for Neuville, co-driver Martijn Wydaeghe, and the Hyundai team following the late setback.
“We didn’t even know until we were told on the radio that Thierry had an issue. It was quite a shock at the stop control,” he added.
The victory marks a continuation of strong form for Katsuta and Johnston, following recent competitive performances in events such as Kenya and Sweden. Johnston emphasized that while their objective is consistently to fight for podium positions, back-to-back victories exceeded expectations.
“Our target is always to be in the fight for the podium. But to win here is more than we expected, and to take two wins in a row is incredible,” he said.
With the WRC calendar moving on to the Canary Islands, Portugal, and later Japan, the result in Croatia strengthens Katsuta and Johnston’s position heading into a critical phase of the season. Beyond the sporting outcome, the victory stands as a moment of emotional resonance within the championship, linking past memory with present achievement.
Baca Juga
Analisis WRC Kroasia 2026: kesalahan Thierry Neuville, kebangkitan Sami Pajari, hingga Takamoto Katsuta muncul sebagai kandidat juara.
Takamoto Katsuta dan Aaron Johnston menangi WRC Kroasia 2026 dalam hasil emosional, tiga tahun setelah tragedi Craig Breen.
Adrien Fourmaux menghadapi insiden kehilangan pace notes di Croatia Rally 2026, berdampak pada performa Super Sunday dan strategi Hyundai.
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