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<\/a><\/p>\n(Reuters) – Elfyn Evans won the Croatia Rally on Sunday for his first victory in 18 months but celebrations were muted after the death last week of Ireland’s Craig Breen.<\/p>\n
Hyundai driver Breen died in a crash while testing for the Zagreb-based asphalt event, the fourth round of the championship.<\/p>\n
Welshman Evans, now joint top of the championship with part-time team mate Sebastien Ogier, had Breen’s name on the side of his Toyota while Hyundai’s reduced entry of two cars ran with a special livery in the colours of the Irish flag.<\/p>\n
“We\u2019ve been working towards this for a long time but it all feels so insignificant at the moment. That\u2019s the bottom line,” said Evans after finishing 27 seconds clear of M-Sport Ford’s Estonian Ott Tanak.<\/p>\n
“After the focus of the weekend, we\u2019re all back to missing our friend now. Straightaway after coming across the finish line, that\u2019s all we can think about.<\/p>\n
“We promised Craig\u2019s family we would enjoy the weekend, and we\u2019ve done that. We\u2019re all thinking of them right now.”<\/p>\n
The win was Evans’s first since Finland in October 2021.<\/p>\n
Hyundai’s Espekka Lappi was third, his first podium of the season.<\/p>\n
Reigning world champion Kalle Rovanpera was fourth for Toyota, and is only a point off the championship lead, with team mates Ogier and Takamoto Katsuta fifth and sixth. Ogier took three bonus points from the final Power Stage.<\/p>\n
Evans hit the front on Saturday after first-leg leader Thierry Neuville crashed out. The Belgian returned for the final day and took five bonus points by winning the final stage.<\/p>\n
“I am so disappointed for the team and for us after everything that happened. It’s a tough moment, you know. We really wanted that victory — we wanted to make Craig proud — but we missed the opportunity,” said Neuville.<\/p>\n
“We gave it everything in here (the final stage). This one was for Craig, so hopefully it’s enough.”<\/p>\n
\n(Reporting by Alan Baldwin in London, editing by Clare Fallon)<\/p>\n
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