Takamoto Katsuta snatched victory at Rally Croatia and the World Rally Championship lead in the most painful way possible for Thierry Neuville, who crashed out of a commanding lead on the very final stage.
The Toyota driver had been running second all weekend, resigned to watching Neuville control proceedings. The reigning world champion held an advantage of more than a minute heading into Sunday's power stage, the kind of buffer that turns a victory walk into a formality.
Then it all unravelled.
Neuville slid wide on loose gravel at a fork in the road, the asphalt line splitting away from an escape route. He hesitated, committed late to the alternate path, and clipped a concrete block at the split. The impact destroyed the front-right suspension of his Hyundai i20 N Rally1. He attempted to press on but bled too much time to save the win, eventually being pulled out of the stage by his team.
"I can only say sorry to everyone involved. Working hard, that's the only thing I can say," a devastated Neuville said.
The Belgian, whose title defence has been blighted by bad luck, later vowed to rebuild. Hyundai motorsport boss Cyril Abiteboul is understood to be rallying the Alzenau-based squad around a response.
Katsuta learned of his inheritance only as he crossed the line, his joy instantly tempered by sympathy for the rival who had dominated the weekend.
"I'm sorry for Thierry," he said simply.
The Japanese driver's maiden win at Safari Rally Kenya last month was a breakthrough moment after years of knocking on the door. Backing that up in Croatia, even in these circumstances, elevates him from nearly-man to genuine title protagonist. He now leads the standings ahead of Toyota teammate Elfyn Evans (-7 points), Hyundai's Oliver Solberg (-13) and Sami Pajari (-29).
"Hyundai's response to Croatia heartbreak will define our season," team deputy boss Wheatley told WRC.com in the aftermath, acknowledging the psychological hit for a team whose car had clearly been the quickest in Zagreb.
The rally also delivered a headline result in the support category: Lancia registered its first ever WRC2 victory as the storied Italian brand marked its competitive return with a statement. New Zealand ace Hayden Paddon completed the overall podium, extending his purple patch of form in the full-time Hyundai seat.
Rally Croatia is a famously unforgiving event, mixing fast asphalt stages through rural Zagorje with tight, treacherous hairpins and an abrupt change in grip when moisture appears. Those conditions punished Neuville on the very last competitive kilometres of the weekend.
For Toyota, the outcome is a reminder that patience in WRC eventually pays. Katsuta spent years as the team's hard-working understudy; now he leads the world championship.
For Hyundai, the feeling is inverted. A car capable of dominating the event returns home with only minor points, and a reigning champion left apologising for a mistake that probably cost him the rally and a chunk of championship momentum.
Attention now shifts to Rally Portugal in May, where Neuville must dust himself off and begin what will be a long climb back into title contention.
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*Originally published on [Motorsports Global](https://motorsports.global/article/katsuta-wins-wrc-croatia-neuville-crash-2026). Visit for full coverage.*