Takamoto Katsuta has won the Croatia Rally for Toyota, becoming the first Japanese driver to lead the world championship. The victory came on Sunday after Hyundai's Thierry Neuville crashed while leading the race on the final stage.
Neuville held a significant lead heading into the final leg but struck a concrete block, damaging his car's front suspension. Despite attempts to continue, he was forced to stop, handing Katsuta the win.
This marks Katsuta's second consecutive rally win. Toyota teammate Sami Pajari finished second, with Hayden Paddon in third.
Katsuta now leads the championship standings. He acknowledged the unfortunate circumstances of his win but expressed determination to focus on his own performance moving forward.