Hello rally fans :)!
WRC Rally Japan is a rally that promises some real action! I decided to give you a recap of an amazing day that happened. Friday action delivered thrilling moments, dramatic and unexpected twists, and plenty of challenges for both all drivers. From punctures to electrical issues, the day tested teams on Japan’s unpredictable stages, leaving the standings shaken after just nine special stages🫠
SS2: Difficult Start
The rally opened with chaos for some top competitors. SébastienOgier got hit with a double puncture, forcing him to stop on the stage and lose over two minutes, effectively ending his hopes for a strong Friday. Meanwhile, the local hero Takamoto Katsuta also punctured but managed to reach the stage end, losing around a minute. At the very end, Ott Tänak, Thierry Neuville, and Elfyn Evans showcased their pace, with their times incredibly close. However, the slippery surface caused massive time gaps further down, with some drivers already failing by over a minute.
SS3: WRC2 setbacks..
In WRC2, the competition faced problemsas punctures and accidents reshuffled the leaderboard once again. Sami Pajari (that sometimes drove WRC1) lost time with a puncture, while Greensmith, Kajetanowicz, Yamamoto, and Imai all had incidents but were able to continue (which I’m so happy about). Nikolay Gryazin capitalized, taking the WRC2 lead with a comfortable 44.8-second advantage (I’m cheering for Nikolay.. and a few more deivers🤣). Behind him, Pajari and Arai held second and third, while Kajetanowicz fell out of the top ten with a total loss of four minutes.
SS4: Neuville’s Misfortune
The day took a dramatic turn for Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville (which is people’s favorite for a Championship title) when an electrical problem prevented his car from entering “Stage Mode” (this is a performance setting specifically designed for maximum power and efficiency during special stages). He was forced to run the remaining stages in “Road Mode,” losing significant time—around two minutes per stage. Without a midday service, Neuville had no way to resolve the issue, leaving him struggling to stay competitive. (This made me so sad because I really want him to win the championship :( ).
SS5: Mikkelsen Out
In WRC2, Andreas Mikkelsen’s rally came to a disappointing end after a braking error sent him off the road and into a tree. His retirement for the day caused the stage to be canceled for WRC2 competitors due to his car blocking the road. Mikkelsen is expected to rejoin the event on Saturday. (Again.., made me very sad because I really like him as a driver but he just can’t get a clean rally.. I wonder how will this affect his contract for next season).
SS6: Tänak Takes Charge
Ott Tänak continued his strong form, building a 20.4-second lead over Elfyn Evans by the end of SS6. His performance was crucial for Hyundai, as he aimed to fend off Toyota’s charge, with Evans and Katsuta chasing from second and third positions.
SS7: Fourmaux Breaks Into P3
In a closely fought stage, Evans claimed the win but gained just 0.4 seconds on Tänak. Meanwhile, Takamoto Katsuta’s slower pace allowed Adrien Fourmaux to snatch third place by a narrow 0.8 seconds. In WRC2, Gryazin extended his lead to over a minute, with Pajari securing a comfortable gap to third place, enabling him to manage his race strategically to secure the WRC2 title.
SS8 and 9: Calm Finish
The day ended with two runs on the Okazaki Super Special Stage, where the leaderboard remained stable. Katsuta gained 0.7 seconds on Fourmaux but fell short of reclaiming third place, leaving Fourmaux on the podium heading into Saturday. (Come on Taka-san🥹!!!!)
Overall opinion?
Rally Japan’s slippery and unpredictable roads & conditions made an intense day full of unwanted accidents. The timezone difference between Japan and Europe added an extra challenge for fans trying to follow the action live, but despite that it doesn’t stop us from following it :). Everything is possible in rallying :)
I’ll attach the video for the full recap from WRC:
& to make things just a bit fun another video of Keiji Saita and his brilliant interview 😂! : https://www.instagram.com/reel/DCpBoWbg2xM/?igsh=bXk4aWxpbHRyYmk2
I’m going to a rally this weekend, so you’ll also receive some texts regarding that, until then enjoy and thanks for reading :)
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STOPYour analyses are perfect :)
Lol
:)