Croatia Rally 2025 puts Croatia on the world motorsport map

This year, Croatia will host the ERC (European Rally Championship) Croatia Rally automotive event from October 3rd to 5th. 

The ERC Croatia Rally will be held in Zagreb, Karlovac and Krapina Zagorje counties, with a Ceremonial Start and a Ceremonial Finish in the City of Zagreb, in front of the INA administration building.

Saturday's program opens with a 22,70 km long special stage from Krašić to Sošice. This is followed by the Hartje - Stojdraga and Breganica - Smerovišće special stages, which in previous years were run in the opposite direction.

Sunday brings two more stages, Veliko Trgovišće - Klanjec and Zagorska Sela - Kumrovec, the legendary Power Stage that brings real drama every year and often decides the winner of the Croatia Rally. All of the aforementioned tracks will be driven twice.

Importance for tourism

The European Rally Championship is returning to domestic roads after more than twelve years, as a prelude to an even bigger sporting spectacle - the World Rally Championship (WRC), which will be held in Croatia again in April 2026.

"Croatia Rally is the largest sporting event in Croatia, with exceptional significance not only for domestic tourism and the economy, but also for the international promotion of our country. This competition puts Croatia on the world motorsports map and contributes to strengthening the country's recognition as a destination for top sporting events. Along with the arrival of today's greatest rally drivers, we are also looking forward with particular joy to the performances of Croatian drivers who are an inspiration to future generations and confirm the identity of motorsport in our country. At the same time, we want to send a clear message to all participants - Responsible and safe driving must be every driver's priority, and we also appeal to spectators to behave responsibly along the tracks and contribute to the safety of everyone.", said the president of the Croatian Auto and Karting Association Robert Markt.

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Promotion of Croatia, the metropolis and sports

The organizers' expectations are high this year as well, as the ERC in Croatia confirms its status as one of the most significant sporting events that promotes the country to domestic and global audiences.

"On behalf of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, I would like to congratulate the organizers for the dedication and vision they have shown since the very beginning of this prestigious event in Croatia. This competition is one of the most important sporting events in our country, and its value is further confirmed by the fact that funds for 2026 and 2027 have already been included in the planned state budget. In this way, the Government of the Republic of Croatia clearly shows that it recognizes the importance of major international sporting events that not only strengthen the image of Croatia as a safe and attractive destination, but also confirm our role as a reliable host on the world sports scene", he said Krešimir Šamija, Director of the Sports Directorate at the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of the Republic of Croatia.

The City of Zagreb has been the host of the Croatia Rally since its inception, and the Zagreb Tourist Board is one of the event's key partners. The importance of this event for the city of Zagreb is also demonstrated by the number of overnight stays and the overall impact on the economy during the championship.

"The City of Zagreb is proud to host the ERC Croatia Rally, an event that puts our capital city and Croatia at the very center of the European and world sports stage. Such events not only bring a top-notch sporting experience, but also strongly contribute to the promotion of our city, stimulate tourism, the economy and create a special spirit of togetherness among citizens. The City of Zagreb continuously supports major international sporting events because they confirm that we are a city with a rich tradition, open to new challenges and recognizable for our excellent organization. We are confident that this year's ERC Croatia Rally will remain an event that connects sport, culture and the community of our city", he said Stjepan Crnokic, assistant head of the city office for education, sports and youth.

Crews and favorites

This year's European Rally Championship promises to be an extremely exciting battle for the title. Pole Mikołaj Marczyk is currently leading with 146 points, but according to the competition regulations, his worst finish of the season will be deducted - after that he will have 133 points.

Italian Andrea Mabellini (131) and Irishman Jon Armstrong (113) are pushing hard for him, so we can expect some tense and uncertain special stages in front of the home crowd. Among the Croatian drivers at the Croatia Rally, we will see: Eris Marotti, Jan Pokos, Martin Ravenščak, Dario Merlić, Marko Fakin, Igor Tomljanović and Luka Latinović.

"59 crews have registered for the European Championship, including seven Croatians. We are extremely pleased with the list of entries led by Pole Miko Marczyk, Italian Andrea Mabellini and Irishman Jon Armstrong, who will decide the title of European Champion in Croatia. However, starting number 1 is reserved for Finn Lauri Joona, a driver with WRC experience. All classes of the European Championship except Junior ERC are open and the audience will be able to enjoy the ruthless battles for important points. Then there are 20 crews who will compete for points in the International Croatian Zonal Championship, in which for the first time in history a Rally1 car will compete, driven by Adrien Fourmaux, who also holds the Power Stage record. The domestic competitions are also tight, with Slovenian Rok Turk leading the International Championship ahead of Hungarian Antal Kovacs, and in the Croatian Championship, where the young, 17-year-old Italian Matteo Bernini and the experienced Vjekoslav Čičko are only 5 points apart. I would like to emphasize safety and invite all spectators to cooperate with the referees and stewards who will seat them closest to the action, but not outside the safe zone.", announced the director of ERC Croatia Rally Zeljko Stefanic.

The highlight of the competition will be the Power Stage in Kumrovec, where additional points will be awarded and the winner of the ERC Croatia Rally 2025 will be declared, followed by the announcement of the European champion and the award ceremony in the Fifth Coupe.

"This is the eighth time that Croatia Rally has scored points for the European Championship, but it has never had such significance and decided the championship title. Marczyk and Mabellini have shown the most in the championship so far, but Croatia Rally brings many pitfalls. Marczyk's experience could come into play here, as he has already driven on Croatian special stages once. Every year we try to map out the rally with sections that pose a challenge for the crews and we are always happy when the decision happens in the last meters. Such dramatic competitions are always a lure for the audience along the track and on the small screens. This year too, the image from Croatia will go to the world and we hope that with the uncertain battles, the crews will show our country in the best possible light", he points out Marin Frcko, vice president of the organizing committee of the ERC Croatia Rally 2025.

INA general partner

The support of partners and sponsors is extremely crucial for the success of this event, as often emphasized by the president of the Croatia Rally organizing committee, Daniel Šaškin. INA has been a partner of the Croatia Rally from the very beginning, and has been strongly supporting the development of motorsports in Croatia for many years.

At the beginning of the press conference, the President of the Board of Directors, Zsuzsanna Ortutay, and the Vice President of the Croatia Rally Organizing Committee symbolically signed the driver's shirt, confirming the continuation of cooperation in the next three years - during the upcoming European Rally Championship ERC Croatia Rally 2025, and the World Rally Championship WRC Croatia Rally 2026 and WRC Croatia Rally 2027.

Useful information

This year, the same rules apply to spectators as for the WRC competition. The tracks are closed to traffic three hours before the start of the special stage. Maps are published on the website http://www.rally-croatia.com, and it will soon be possible to download the Croatia Rally application for IOS and Android mobile devices, which provides all relevant information.

The ERC Croatia Rally service park is located within Westgate Shopping City. Entrance to the service park is free every day from 8 am to 21 pm.

On Saturday, October 4, from 10 a.m. to 16 p.m., a promotional event will be held on top of the Westgate garage. karting for children who will be able to sit behind the wheel of a racing car for the first time in controlled conditions. Parallel to the European Championship races, the finals of the DONUT International Cup and the HAKS Drift Cup will be held on October 4th and 5th.

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Source: Rally Croatia