The 40th Croatia Rally, a new event for the European Rally Championship’s regular competitors, began in perfect fashion for Team Renault Sport Technologies. With fine weather in Porec and the region bordering the Adriatic Sea, the competitors went into the third-last round of the season hoping for no unpleasant surprises from the skies. Speaking at a press conference, Germain Bonnefis underlined how important good conditions would be: "Since the start of the season we’ve been at a bit of a disadvantage as it has rained frequently. Our car handles better in dry conditions, as it’s two-wheel-drive. When the weather’s been good, as it was in Corsica, we’ve shown that we can be very quick."

Germain Bonnefis and Robert Consani enjoyed the ideal start to the event with the Porec super special stage on Thursday, but were caught out by the rain the following morning. On unfavourable terrain and hard tyres, the first timed sector was a damage limitation exercise for the Renault Sport duo. The pair, driving the Megane R.S. N4 #10, were on course for a podium place in the Production category, but hit a patch of asphalt with no grip on the second stage of the day. Germain Bonnefis was subsequently taken to hospital for tests, and learned a few hours later that he had suffered a fractured vertebra. It was a cruel twist of fate for Bonnefis, who still had the Production Cup for Drivers in his reach. Olivier Fournier, for his part, emerged from the accident without serious injury.

"We’d expected good weather for this rally, and things went well on Thursday," said Bonnefis. "We set off for our first run on Friday on hard slick tyres, and we were surprised to run into rain and soaking wet roads. We went for damage limitation in the first stage and, strangely, we had lots of grip in the second. But on the exit from the turn coming out of the woods, there was suddenly no grip and the road was like an ice rink. I wasn’t going too fast, but without grip the car didn’t respond and we went straight on, making impact at around 80 km/h. I was scared at that point, as it was the first time I’d been taken away in an ambulance. I’m reassured by the diagnosis, as the vertebra is broken but not displaced. We’ll do everything can with the recovery to get me back as soon as possible, but we won’t take any risks. I need time and lots of rest. I know at least that I won’t be able to compete in Sanremo."

While clearly concerned for the wellbeing of his team-mate, Robert Consani remained focused on his own race against his four-wheel-drive Production rivals. But although the roads dried out in the afternoon, the asphalt was damp again the following morning. Alongside co-driver Nicolas Klinger, Consani grew in confidence despite the difficult conditions and held on to complete the rally in sixth place. The Provençal driver was the best-placed of all the teams entered in the Production Cup for Teams, and secured the 25 points needed to seal victory for Team Renault Sport Technologies. Consani will be delighted to have finished the rally, having had limited success in the first half of the season.

"It’s mission accomplished! We set off without really looking at the times," said Consani. "It was a very difficult rally in which to build confidence. The route was very slippery all weekend, and the weather also played a part. Germain’s accident certainly didn’t help. We’re a team and we would all like to have been there at the finish. I wish him all the best for his recovery. As for me, I’m pleased to have finished in the Production points as the best-placed two-wheel-drive car in the Production category. We’ll now head to the Rallye de France, again in the Megane R.S. N4. It’ll be a full-scale test session, with the goal of finding my rhythm again. We’ll then go to Sanremo, where I hope to be able to push hard without holding back."