Preview: Round 4 - Croatia Rally

Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team heads to Croatia Rally (April 9-12) for round four of the 2026 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), targeting another strong result.

A fresh test for all teams will see crews face 300.28km of mountain terrain and fast coastal roads along the idyllic Adriatic Sea. Hyundai Motorsport has previously seen mixed success at Croatia Rally, with driver Thierry Neuville consistently challenging at the front and securing three podiums in the last five editions (2021, 2022 and 2024).
 
The 2026 edition of the rally offers a new opportunity for Hyundai Motorsport in Croatia, with the area of Rijeka hosting a WRC event for the first time. The 20 stages will test crews across varied and unpredictable tarmac, demanding precision and confidence from Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team’s three entries.
 

Q+A with Hyundai Motorsport WRC Sporting Director Andrew Wheatley

What are the team’s goals for Croatia Rally?

“Croatia Rally is potentially the first event of the season where pure performance will be a key factor. The team has been working hard on the setup of the car to improve the drivability when the surface grip changes. While we have made positive steps, we won’t have all of the revisions in place to demonstrate our full potential – it will be a step-by-step process over the coming events. Croatia is an event that has been good for Thierry and Martijn in the past, with three third-place finishes, so their experience should be a strong benefit. For Adrien and Alexandre, a solid finish here will be invaluable in building their tarmac performance for the coming events. Hayden and John return to the Hyundai i20 N Rally1 for a type of event that is more familiar to them, particularly from their time in the European Rally Championship, so we expect them to build on their performance in Monte-Carlo and increase their pace stage by stage – a crucial element in their support of manufacturers’ championship points.” 
 
Are there any learnings you can carry over from the opening rounds to Croatia?

“So far this year, the WRC has given the drivers some incredible conditions. Monte-Carlo was exceptional for the amount of snow and slush, Sweden was colder than usual – but with smaller snowbanks than normal to catch the drivers if they stray off line – and Safari was the full Kenyan experience. We have seen plenty of extremes, so we hope to get back to a ‘normal’ event in Croatia, but we have the challenge of a new location in and around Rijeka. The new stages will level the playing field slightly. In addition to these challenges, the early April weather and seaside location introduce the possibility of rain, which could make the stages very tricky. We know that our preference is consistent conditions, so if it is going to rain, we need it to rain all week.”
 
What are the key challenges of Croatia Rally?

“Croatia is a rally that has always been won or lost by a matter of seconds, and the high-speed nature of the stages means that the battle is not normally over until the final stage. I think we can expect the same in 2026 – split seconds will make the difference. The stages are challenging but they reward commitment, so we will need to be at 100% from the very first corner to fight for a podium here. If the weather is dry commitment will be high, however if the rain does come, it can change the trajectory of the event entirely and attrition will become a major factor. The crews that make the fewest mistakes will see the biggest benefits. The reliability of the Hyundai i20 N Rally1 car has been a key factor for us so far this season, and as a team we will be taking every opportunity possible to ensure that our crews have the best chance to be in the fight on Sunday afternoon.”

Views from the crews  

Adrien Fourmaux said:

Croatia Rally is one of the most difficult tarmac rallies, because you have many different profiles – sometimes five or six different types in one section – so you are unsure how much grip you will have going into it. The stages vary greatly depending on what area of the country we are in. Some stages are in the mountains, while others are by a beautiful sea. I personally prefer when we have new stages in the rally – discovering each one adds a challenge, and it's important to have good pace notes so you have confidence in your car.

 
Thierry Neuville said:

We've struggled a bit on tarmac recently, so Croatia Rally will be a challenging round for us. It’s one of the toughest tarmac events in the world, but I’m really looking forward to the new stages; the location has changed this year, and it seems like the roads are quite different from what we’ve faced before. New tarmac roads are always an extra element for us to learn, especially with changing weather conditions, but generally I enjoy new stages and the challenges they bring. Generally, the grip is low and there’s a lot of cutting, so you always need to manage your speed to ensure you make your corner if the conditions are worse than expected.

 
Hayden Paddon said:

I’m really looking forward to being back in the car in Croatia. We’ve done a small amount of testing, but combined with the mileage from Monte-Carlo, we’re starting to feel more confident in the Hyundai i20 N Rally1. This will be our first time entering Croatia Rally, but the stages look great; it’s a more traditional tarmac rally, and it looks like a big challenge with a lot of cutting and pollution. Things will be harder for us on day one because of our road position, but we have targets for the rally that we will stay focussed on. We certainly feel that we can up our game and be competitive, but also enjoy the rally and the opportunity to drive an amazing car with a great team.