TOYOTA GAZOO RACING TAKES A ONE-TWO IN CROATIAN THRILLER
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team which ENDLESS is a partner of the brake parts supply snatched a one-two finish on the Croatia Rally after a dramatic finale to a thrilling event, with Sébastien Ogier taking victory over team-mate Elfyn Evans.
Evans was tied for the lead with his main championship rival Thierry Neuville (Hyundai) after Friday, with Ogier just 6.6s back. The TGR duo kept the pressure on until the final day and a dramatic second stage of the morning in which both Neuville and Evans lost time with incidents. A clean run for Ogier allowed him to claim the lead, while Evans survived his spin without major damage to continue in second overall.
Through two more stages, Ogier held on to claim the 59th victory and 100th podium of his WRC career. With a third podium from four rounds and by outscoring his main rival on Sunday, Evans remains just six points from the drivers’ championship lead. Takamoto Katsuta improved his pace and confidence throughout the event alongside co-driver Aaron Johnston. He topped the separate Super Sunday classification, having won both passes through the Trakošćan–Vrbno test, and climbed up to finish fifth overall.
Thanks to the efforts of all three crews across the weekend, TGR-WRT continues to lead the manufacturers’ standings by an increased margin of seven points. The next Rally de Portugal (May 9-12) is based in Matosinhos near Porto in the north of the country, and features classic stages on sandy and rocky roads.