Asphalt Anarchy: Pajari Navigates a Graveyard of Giants on Day One of 2026 WRC Croatia

 

Grobnik Circuit, Croatia: The 2026 Croatia Rally has transformed from a high-speed asphalt chess match into a brutal war of attrition, with the Istrian hills clinically dismantling the championship’s heavy hitters. This isn't just about pure speed anymore; the relocation to the Adriatic coast and the introduction of a route that is 75% brand new has turned the fourth round of the season into a relentless 300km minefield. From the narrow, leaf-littered technical tests of Istria to the high-altitude challenges of the Platak mountains, the shifting grip levels and "ice-slick" tarmac have left a trail of shattered carbon fiber and wounded pride in their wake.

The Falling Titans

The drama didn't just knock on the door; it took the hinges off. Before the morning dew had even lifted, the title fight took a seismic hit. Oliver Solberg, arriving just eight points off the lead, saw his rally end barely five kilometers in. A snap of understeer into a rock face sent his Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 into a "wild 360-degree spin" and a permanent rest among the trees.

But the "speed trap" of the Adriatic wasn't finished. Elfyn Evans, the man who looked imperious after sweeping early tests, fell victim to the treacherous surface. In a moment of pure pacenote heartbreak—audibly exclaiming "I thought it was a three"—Evans overshot a right-hander on SS3 (Beram - Cerovlje) and plunged his Yaris into the thick foliage. Two Toyota factory cars, two pre-rally favorites, both rendered spectators in the space of two hours. M-Sport’s Jon Armstrong added to the carnage, clattering a concrete kerb on SS4 just as he was challenging for a maiden stage win. 

The Survivalist at the Summit

Amidst the wreckage, a new star is rising. Sami Pajari has found the "zen" that escaped his elders. The young Finn didn't need to be the fastest; he simply needed to be the smartest, picking his way to a shock overnight lead. He hasn't escaped the pressure, however. Thierry Neuville, struggling with balance on his Hyundai i20 N Rally1, found a "second wind" in the afternoon to stay within striking distance. Just nine-tenths behind him sits Takamoto Katsuta, Toyota’s sole hope for the win after his teammates’ disasters. 

Top 5 Overall (After Friday Leg):

Position	Driver	Team	Time / Gap
1	Sami Pajari	Toyota GR Yaris Rally1	1h 12m 18.5s
2	Thierry Neuville	Hyundai i20 N Rally1	+13.7s
3	Takamoto Katsuta	Toyota GR Yaris Rally1	+14.6s
4	Hayden Paddon	Hyundai i20 N Rally1	+1m 15.0s
5	Adrien Fourmaux	Hyundai i20 N Rally1	+1m 54.6s

Croatia has reminded us today of a simple, cruel truth: on these roads, precision replaces endurance, and the smallest miscalculation is terminal. 

Heartbreak and Heroics: Donegal's David Kelly Snatches The 2026 Circuit Of Ireland Glory by a Whisker

 

Report: Neil McDaid 

Photos: David McDaid

DUNGANNON, IRELAND – You can keep your Monte Carlo ice, your Safari mud and dust; for pure, unadulterated drama, nothing touches a rain-lashed Saturday on some of Ireland's classic tarmac stages.

The 2026 Circuit of Ireland Rally didn't just deliver a winner; it delivered a script so packed with tension that even the most seasoned observers were left breathless. At the center of the storm was Donegal’s David Kelly, who snatched his first-ever Irish Tarmac Rally Championship win by a microscopic 0.5 seconds.

Day One: The Devine Dominance 

Friday was supposed to be the preamble, but Callum Devine turned it into a statement of intent. Armed with his Skoda Fabia RS Rally2, the Derry man was in a different zip code. He took three fastest times from the opening four stages, carving out a commanding 26.4-second lead by the time the crews reached the overnight halt. Behind him, a trio of heavy hitters—Josh Moffett, David Kelly, and Eddie Doherty—were separated by just a single second, essentially fighting for the privilege of being "best of the rest." 

Day Two: The Brantry Lough Blowout

The Saturday morning loop changed everything. As the rain turned the asphalt into a glass-slick nightmare, Devine’s charge ended in a Tyrone hedge. Leading Stage 9 (Brantry Lough II), the reigning champion slid off the road, losing four agonising minutes. While he miraculously recovered to finish 8th, the door was kicked off its hinges. 

 

Josh Moffett, piloting the Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, initially inherited the lead but immediately found himself in the fight in a battle for the top step of the podium. Moffett even lodged a formal appeal at the rally's conclusion, claiming he lost time slowing down to check on the stranded Devine—a testament to the razor-thin margins at play. 

The Final Sprint

Kelly, however, refused to blink. He moved into a 4.1-second lead on Stage 10 and, despite a furious late-stage charge from Moffett, managed his gap with the poise of a veteran. Under the most intense pressure, the Donegal man held steady through the final Dungannon tests to secure a career-defining victory. 

Position	Driver	Vehicle	Gap
1st	David Kelly	Skoda Fabia RS Rally2	Winner
2nd	Josh Moffett	Toyota GR Yaris Rally2	+0.5s
3rd	Eddie Doherty	Skoda Fabia RS Rally2	+1:00.2s

This wasn't just a win; it was a shift in the championship gravity. Kelly has arrived. With three rounds of the Championship in the bag, Kelly's victory on the Circuit moves him to third in the standings, just a mere point adrift of Callum Devine, both trailing Josh Moffet who holds the top spot. All crews will head southwest for round 4, the International Rally of the Lakes in Killarney on May 2–3.

If Kelly can maintain this form heading into Killarney, he will have a strong position heading into his home turf for the Donegal International in June.

2026 ITRC Driver Standings (Provisional After Round 3)

Note: Points for Round 3 are provisional based on final stage results.

Pos	Driver	R1 (Galway)	R2 (West Cork)	R3 (Circuit)	Total Points
1	Josh Moffett	13	22	17*	52
2	Callum Devine	22	17	6*	45
3	David Kelly	11	11	22*	44
4	Eddie Doherty	17	13	11*	41
5	Declan Boyle	9	8	9*	26

The Flying Finn heads Northwest: Jari-Matti Latvala set to Shake up the 2026 Olympus Rally

 

Shelton, Washington: If you’d told me a decade ago that we’d see the most experienced driver in World Rally Championship history tackling the Nahwatzel stage in a factory-backed Toyota, I’d have asked what was in your coffee. But here we are. In a move that has sent the American Rally Association (ARA)  into a proper tailspin, Toyota Gazoo Racing has confirmed that team principal Jari-Matti Latvala will pilot a second factory GR Corolla Rally RC2 at the Olympus Rally (April 17-19).

It’s a story with more layers than a Finnish onion. Latvala, an 18-time WRC winner, isn’t just coming for the scenery; he’s coming to show the kids how it’s done in the very car he helped develop.

But the biggest question mark hanging over the Washington woods isn't Finnish—it's Canadian. 

Brandon Semenuk

, the man who has owned Olympus for the last four years, currently finds himself without a permanent seat after Subaru shifted its focus. The word in the paddock is that 

Semenuk

 is scrambling for a last-minute drive specifically to measure himself against 

Latvala

. Can the "Master of the Northwest" secure a car in time to defend his turf? If he does, we’re looking at a heavyweight bout for the ages.

Latvala will be sharing the Toyota tent with 

Seth Quintero

, the desert-racing prodigy who is quickly learning that "flat out" in the trees is a different beast entirely. 

Quintero

 showed flashes of immense speed at 100 Acre Wood before a water splash claimed his air intake, and having Jari-Matti in the next bay will be like having a masterclass on tap.

Then there’s the "Old Guard" and the "New Wave":

Travis Pastrana

: Fresh off a stunning, hard-fought victory at 100 Acre Wood, Pastrana proved his Subaru WRX ARA25L can still humble the Rally2 machinery when the roads get fast.

Tom Williams

: The Brit made a statement in Missouri, leading much of the rally in his Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 before a puncture relegated him to third. He’s hungry, he’s fast, no question he will have his sights set firmly on the top step of the podium.

Lia Block

: The 19-year-old sensation just secured her first RC2 podium in Missouri. Driving the Rockstar Energy Hyundai i20 N Rally2, she’s no longer "the next big thing"—she’s here and she's now.

Speculation: The Latvala Factor

Make no mistake, Latvala’s entry is a seismic event for the ARA. He brings a level of technical feedback that will accelerate the Corolla’s development by months in a single weekend. But will the high-speed, technical logging roads of Washington suit his "maximum attack" style, or will the local knowledge of a (hopefully) present 

Semenuk

 or a charging 

Pastrana

 keep the visitor off the podium?

One thing is certain: when the first car leaves the line in Shelton, the eyes of the rallying world won't be on Europe—they'll be fixed firmly on the Pacific Northwest.

Will 

Brandon Semenuk

 find a way onto the entry list to challenge the WRC legend, or will 

Jari-Matti Latvala

 make the Olympus his own?

Report: Neil McDaid

Photos: JML media, Gazoo Racing