Kalle Rovanpera may have sewn up the Drivers’ title in New Zealand, but he’ll be after one more victory when Rally Japan gets underway this Friday.
The final round of the World Rally Championship returns to Japan for the first time since 2010, with Sebastien Ogier the only top-line driver to have contested the rally before.
The Frenchman took the win for Citroen, and returns 12 years later as a part-time Toyota Gazoo Racing driver, but the differences between the two events couldn’t be more different.
In 2010, the rally was a gravel event on the island of Hokkaido, but this weekend’s challenge is on tight and twisty tarmac.
The local manufacturer will field a four-car team for Ogier, Rovanpera, Elfyn Evans and local hero, Takamoto Katsuta. Could the Japanese gun win on home tarmac?
“Of course, I know this will be a big rally,” he said of the huge expectations he’s facing.
“There will be a lot of interest from the people, from the fans and for the team.
“I know it will be quite a different rally in Japan, with different kinds of roads from what we have seen. But I will do my best and, of course, I’m going to enjoy Japanese stages!”
Much of the interest in the rally will be in the rival teams though.
This will be Ott Tanak’s final rally for the Hyundai team, a squad he’s taken three victories for this season. Unhappy with his position in the team, the Estonian hasn’t announced which team he’ll drive for next year, or if he’ll be in the WRC at all.
Plenty of rumours have been flying around, with many predicting (or hoping) that he’ll rejoin M-Sport to spearhead Ford’s 2023 title assault, but budget constraints within that team may mean that’s a long shot.
There have been reports that he and current M-Sport driver, Craig Breen, will swap teams, however. On his first full season in the WRC, Breen has sadly underperformed for the Blue Oval team this year with several disappointing retirements.
The Irishman has another year to run on his contract, but you feel that a strong performance is needed in Japan – particularly as he’ll debut a new co-driver, James Fulton, ahead of next year.
Interestingly, M-Sport has withdrawn Adrien Fourmaux’s entry in the rally, citing budget constraints. This may be to save money for next year’s campaign, but however you look at it, the Frenchman’s third benching in four rallies isn’t good news for his career.
Only Breen and Gus Greensmith will represent Ford, while Hyundai have Tanak, Thierry Neuville and Dani Sordo all eager to finish the year on a high note.
Rally Japan was previously run as a gravel event in the northern island of Hokkaidō, but its return will be held on asphalt roads on the largest island, Honshu.
The stages will take place mostly in the mountains of the Aichi and Gifu prefectures on highly demanding roads that are technical and narrow in character. Many sections will run through forests with constantly changing grip levels.
After a Super Special Stage on Thursday evening, the rally runs for three days over 19 stages and 283 competitive kilometres.
With Japan only four hours behind New Zealand, the event is much more viewer-friendly than the European WRC rounds. The first stage on Friday begins at 11.07 am NZ time, with live coverage available on the WRC website.
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