While the Formula 1 engines fall silent this April, there is still plenty of high-octane international motorsport action – and strong British interest – to follow in the World Rally Championship (WRC).
Adding further excitement since the previous Safari Rally round, Motorsport UK has confirmed that the globe-trotting series will make a welcome return to British shores with the introduction of WRC Rally Scotland in 2027 – click here for more information.
In the meantime, Croatia hosts round four of this year’s championship from 9-12 April, with Elfyn Evans and Scott Martin leading the points standings despite missing out last time out in Kenya.
The Welshman and his English co-driver – both graduates of the Motorsport UK Academy – have a strong track record in the Balkan event, having claimed victory in 2023 and secured two additional second-place finishes.
“Croatia has been a good rally for us in the past, so it’s nice to be going back there,” confirmed Evans. “It’s always been a rally with a lot of surface changes and, with that, a lot of grip variation. However, there are more unknowns this year with the event moving towards the coast.”
For this year, the rally’s base shifts approximately 100 miles southwest from the capital, Zagreb, to the coastal city of Rijeka, with the service park located at the Grobnik racing circuit. This relocation brings significant changes to the route: all but three stages are new to the WRC, introducing unfamiliar terrain and fresh challenges. However, the potential for changeable weather conditions remains a key factor.
“We will have to see what the new stages are like when we get there and write plenty of new pace notes during the recce,” Evans continued. “In our test, we had quite wet and muddy conditions, which could be representative of what we’ll face during the rally. At the same time, we’ve also had to think ahead to the Canaries, with some preparation linked between the two events. As always, we aim to fight for the best result possible.”
Croatia marks the beginning of an intense period for WRC teams, with three rallies scheduled over the next five weeks. It also serves as the first of three asphalt rounds taking place over the next two months. The demanding Croatian roads will be followed just two weeks later by Rally Islas Canarias. After a return to gravel in Portugal another fortnight later, the championship switches back to asphalt for Rally Japan at the end of May.
With the UK back on the WRC calendar for the next three years, extra anticipation is building both among British competitors and fans as the 2025 championship continues to evolve.
For Evans and Martin, the coming weeks present a valuable opportunity to strengthen their current lead. With fierce competition and unpredictable rallies ahead, however, in reality the battle for the World Rally Championship title is unlikely to be settled until the season’s concluding rounds in Italy and Saudi Arabia come the late autumn. But hopes remain high that Evans and Martin will enter the inaugural Rally Scotland next year as reigning WRC champions.
Head here for more information on Rally Scotland