The final podium is completed by Andreas Aigner (Subaru, new leader of the Production Cup) and Hermann Gassner jr. (Mitsubishi) who finished in this order after a great battle – Molly Taylor (Citroen) seals the Ladies' Trophy – Zoltan Bessenyey (Honda) only a step away from the 2WD Cup title – Daniel Saskin first of the local drivers – The FIA President Jean Todt attends the event – The Colin McRae Flat Out Trophy awarded to Andreas Aigner for this event.

Jan Kopecky and Pavel Dresler, the new 2013 European Rally Champions with their Skoda Fabia S2000, have won the 40th  Croatia Rally after taking the lead in the final stages of the first leg. They were followed home respectively by Andreas Aigner-Barbara Watzl (Subaru Impreza R4) and Hermann Gassner jr-Ursula Mayrhofer (Mitsubishi Lancer R4) who in the second leg staged a close fight for the runner-up spot and the victory in the Production car class.

The Austrian Subaru driver, who had jumped in the lead under Friday's rain after passing local driver Juraj Sebalj (winner of Thursday night's superspecial stage and forced to retire today when he was fifth overall and first of the locals), first resisted the assault of the German who had closed within less than a second, then conquered a small but decisive advantage. Fourth place for the Belgian crew of Peter Tsjoen-Bernd Casier (Skoda Fabia S2000), who took turns in driving. Tsjoen also set the fastest time in the closing stage. The stage wins score is of 8 for Kopecky, 2 each for Tsjoen and Aigner, 1 for Sebalj and one notional time awarded to 4 drivers (Kopecky, Tsjoen, Aigner and Gassner). Fifth place for the South African crew of Henk Lategan-Barry White (Skoda Fabia S2000).

Molly Taylor, together with Sebastian Marshall on the Citroen DS3 R3T in the United Business livery, secured an advanced win in the ERC Ladies' Trophy with her second place in class after having risked retirement twice: first when she passed out at a stage end due to fuel vapours in the cockpit and then for a small crash. Victory in the 2WD for this rally went to slowenian Aleks Humar-Florjan Rus (Renault Clio R3), seventh overall, who led Hungary's Zoltan Bessenyey-Yulianna Nyirfas (Honda Civic R3) who thanks to this result get closer to success in the European 2WD Cup where they have a comfortable lead.

Daniel Saskin-Damir Brunen (Ford Fiesta Rrc) in eighth place are the best local crew in a rally which boasts the season record of foreign drivers (from 3 continents). Today the Rally welcomed a special guest, FIA President Jean Todt, who accompanied by Zrinko Gregurek, general secretary of the CCKF and member of the FIA World Motorsport Council, congratulated himself with the event organisation staff and its promoter Pierfelice Liberali. Jean Pierre Nicholas presented Andreas Aigner with the Colin McRae Flat Out Trophy for this event.

FINAL STANDINGS:

  1. Kopecky-Dressler (Skoda Fabia S2000) in 2h23'11“0;2

  2. Aigner-Watzl (Subaru Impreza R4) a 1'55“6

  3. Gassner jr-Mayrhofer (Mitsubishi Lancer R4) a 2'09“8

  4. Tsjoen-Casier (Skoda Fabia S2000) a 2'54“3

  5. Lategan-White (Skoda Fabia S2000) a 4'04“6

  6. Hadik-Kertesz (Subaru Impreza R4) a 6'49“0

  7. Humar-Rus (Renault Clio R3) a 6'59“5

  8. Saskin-Bruner (Ford Fiesta Rrc) a 7'58“8

  9. Trcek-Oslaj (Mitsubishi Lancer N4) a 9'52“3

10. Bessenyey-Nyirfas (Honda Civic R3) a 10'06“5

EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP UNOFFICIAL STANDINGS (after round 10 of 12)

OVERALL: 1. Kopecky 287 points (2013 European Champion); 2. Bouffier 129; 3. Breen 121; 4. Delecour 75; 5. Aigner 56; 6. Kajetanowicz 50; 7. Pech 49; 8. Ketomaa 39; 9. Loix 37.

PRODUCTION CUP: 1. Aigner 138 points; 2. Orsak 117; 3. Bonnefis 95.

2WD CUP: 1. Bessenyey 147 points; 2. Lukacs 75; 3. Chentre 67.

LADIES' TROPHY: Taylor 14 points (12 valid, winner of the 2013 ERC Ladies' Trophy) ; 2. Stratieva 12 (9 valid); 3. Zupanc e Debackere 3.

The Skoda factory crew of Jan Kopecky and Pavel Dressler, current leaders of the 2013 FIA ERC, leads the 40th Croatia Rally after Leg 1. Second place is for Andreas Aigner-Barbara Watzl (Subaru Impreza R4, +52.9s), third place for Hermann Gassner jr-Ursula Mayrhofer (Mitsubishi Lancer R4, +58.1s). 

Aleks Humar (Renault Clio R3) leads the 2WD standings followed by Viliam Prodan (Citroen C2, +1:27.3s) and the current leader of the FIA ERC 2WD Cup Zoltan Bessenyey (Honda Civic R3, +1:30.2s).

In the Ladies Cup the leadership is for Asja Zupanc (Mitsubishi Lancer) followed by Ekaterina Stratieva (Citroen C2, +5:35.0s) and Molly Taylor (Citroen Ds3, +5:35.5). The unlucky Australian girl passed out at the end of SS4 for fuel fumes in her Citroen Ds3 and then lost some minutes for a crash and powersteering fault.

After the quickest time signed by Sebalj in the SS1 yesterday evening, the first round on today's three stages saw Andreas Aigner, (with his Subaru with soft tyres Yokohama) being the quickest in the rain. In the second round, with dry roads, Jan Kopecky (Skoda Fabia S2000 factory team) was always the quickest and took the lead.

In SS3 a big crash for Germain Bonnefis. The Renault Team has confirmed that the X-ray check revealed that the French driver damaged his #10 vertebra in this accident.He is however already out of the hospital with a corset.

SS4:  The Kopecky attack

In the longest SS of the day, Jan Kopecky has made is attack, winning the SS and recovering 19s from Andreas Aigner that continues to lead the Croatia Rally 2013.

At the end of the first round on the today's special stages Andreas Aigner (Subaru Impreza R4) leads, followed by Jan Kopecky (Skoda Fabia S2000, + 10.5s) and Hermann Gassner jr. (Mitsubishi Lancer R4, +14.7s).

Tsjoen is 4th (Skoda Fabia S2000, +1:06.8) and Lategan 5th (Skoda Fabia S2000, +1:19.8). Sixth place overall for Aleks Humar (Renault Clio R3) that is leading the ERC 2WD.

Asja Zupanc leads the Ladies Cup. 2nd place for Molly Taylor (+13.2s). 3rd Stratieva (+1:15.0s) and 4th Senica (+1:29.7s).

SS3: Aigner the fastest, Bonnefis out

Raining at the start of stage, no rain at the finish. Only last 3 kms are dry. Also in this SS Andreas Aigner is the quickest. Casier (currently driving Skoda #2) spun, stalled engine and loose approx 30 sec. Saskin continues to loose time: wrong choice for set-up and tyres.

The SS is stopped for Bonnefis crash.

The driver has some pain in the back so he will be checked at the hospital. Notional time : 10:17.1. starting from the #11.

Kořístkahit something and has problems with rear arm. He lost time but the delay was deleted by the notional time.

SS2: Aigner wins and is the new rally leader

Andreas Aigner has shot into the lead of the Croatia Rally after a stunning performance on the rain-hit second stage. Driving a Subaru Impreza R4 STI, Aigner explained that he bolted on soft-compound Yokohama tyres prior to the start of the stage and took full advantage by going fastest with a time of 11m55.2s over the 14.97-kilometre Boljun test.
Hermann Gassner Jr, who like Aigner is contesting the ERC Production Car Cup, was second fastest, 2.9s down on Aigner.

Bernd Casier was 5.5s quicker than Kopecký in third overall, 21.1s slower than the flying Aigner. “I felt like grandfather was driving,” said Casier. “Pieter [my co-driver] was laughing the whole time. I was just trying to stay on the road and trying to find a bit of confidence but it’s not easy.”

South African teenager Henk Lategan and Hungarian János Puskádi both spun their Fabia S2000s with Lategan reporting two rotations and a stall. Nevertheless he impressed with the fifth quickest time. Simone Tempestini also suffered a spin in his Napoca Rally Academy Impreza.

Very good performance by Molly Taylor: 16th overall and the fastest of the ladies. Asja Zupanc was overtaken by Klavdjia Senica (Fiat Panda Kit, -0.6s) but Molly (+6.0s.) has overtaken Ekaterina Stratieva (+27“4) and has recovered the main part of the yesterday's delay.

During the SS, crash for Rok Turk and Miroslav Angelov, that were fighting for the 2WD leadership. The rain delays the ERC 2WD leader Bessenyey. Now Sebastian Barbu (Citroen Ds3) leads this class.

Molly Taylor prepares to tackle, at the wheel of the Citroen DS3 R3 with the United Business livery, the tenth round of the European Championship, the difficult but fascinating and prestigious 40th Croatia Rally to be held in Porec from Thursday, September 26th to Saturday 28th , and will include 14 special stages for 239.12 timed km and a total length of 653.93 km.
This will be an important and decisive event for the strong Australian lady driver, co-driver by Seb Marshall, who once again faces a rally completely new to her; as well as targeting the best position in the standings, she aims to strengthen the first position in the 2013 European Rally Championship Ladies' Trophy .
In this race the crew of United Business has a good chance of obtaining a positive result also thanks to the excellent and judicious performance at Rally Poland, an event held in difficult conditions.
“Molly is having a great season this year , and has tackled all the races with great determination and professionalism - said Pier Liberali, United Business Team Principal  - she is fast in every situation and thanks to intelligent race management she is competitive and concrete in all the rallies. She accepts the challenge and loves to compete in rallies completely new to her enhanced by the fight against other international drivers. The goal of United Business in Croatia is to increase the lead in the Ladies' Trophy , even though we know it will be a difficult race. We are logically confident that Molly can win the European Rally Championship Ladies' Trophy, this is our goal, to reach it would certainly be rewarding for the team, the crew and for our company which has accompanied Molly's career in these two years”.
This year the 40th Croatia Rally will see the participation of 98 cars with crews from 19 countries and will benefit from a great television coverage through Eurosport.
“Despite having never competed in Croatia Rally I feel it a little like  my home event, because United Business is the promoter of this rally - said Molly Taylor - clearly I want to do well because my manager Pier Liberali has always told me enthusiastically about this rally, I can't wait to be there, we will not leave anything to chance and on this occasion too we have  planned a pre-event test session. Poland was a tough race, and despite having obtained a positive result I could not push as hard as I wanted, getting to the finish of the rally was the main goal , especially in light of the difficult weather conditions which made the special stages very tricky, in Croatia I hope to race with more freedom of action and to be able to push on the throttle as I wish”.
The rally will begin on Thursday, September 26th with the opening ceremony in Porec, followed by the first special stage in the city centre. Friday, September 27th will comprise six stages and the rally will end on Saturday October 28th in Porec at 17.30 after the last seven stages. After the finish there will be the Winner Party, the big celebration at the end of the rally.