Elfyn Evans has crashed out of the lead on day one of Rally Croatia.
The World Rally Championship leader had been fastest on the opening two stages of the event, but on the third run of the morning he overshot a right-hander and became stuck in thick foliage well off the road.
Heading into the bend Evans was heard saying “I thought it was a three” – indicating a possible pacenote-related issue with co-driver Scott Martin.
The Welshman’s mishap promoted fellow Toyota driver Sami Pajari into the lead and damaged Evans’ bid to build a big advantage in the title race over another team-mate, Oliver Solberg.
Sweden’s Solberg – who started round four of this year’s championship in second place, eight points behind his fellow Gazoo Racing Team driver – had also crashed out on the rally’s opening stage, hitting a bank two hours earlier.
Irish M-Sport Ford driver Jon Armstrong was also forced to retire after hitting a concrete kerb on stage four.
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