Sebastien Ogier leads a Toyota Gazoo Racing 1-2-3 after Friday’s opening leg of Rally Japan, kick-starting his mission to outscore teammate and FIA World Rally Championship points leader Elfyn Evans on the series’ penultimate round.
Eight-time WRC champ Ogier (above) was fastest on three of the day’s six stages and reached the Toyota City overnight halt with a 7.9s advantage over teammate Takamoto Katsuta. Evans completed the all-GR Yaris Rally1 podium 2.3s further back after winning the day-ending 10.82-mile Shinshiro 2 test in fading light.
“It’s been a good day,” said Ogier, who came to Japan just 13 points behind Evans with a maximum of 35 available from each of the two remaining rallies. “We did what we had to do today. It’s always fun fighting for a championship, otherwise we would not be here. There’s still a long way to go, but we’re trying to keep our chances alive until the last rally.”
Friday’s action covered six technical asphalt tests around Aichi and Gifu, mixing tight forest climbs, changing grip levels and tricky damp-patches on the narrow, twisting roads. Ogier moved into the lead on the first stage of the day and, apart from briefly dropping behind Katsuta on the morning’s second test, never looked back as he built a small, but significant cushion on Toyota’s home round.
Local hero Katsuta thrilled the local fans throughout, the Japanese driver consistently posting top-three stage times in his GR Yaris and even taking the stage win on the opening run of Shinshiro.
“I feel quite confident in my car and driving,” he said. “I can take risks later.”
Local hero Takamato Katsuta holds second in his Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 (above), 7.9s behind teammate and rally leader Sebastien Ogier. Toyota Gazoo Racing photo
Evans, meanwhile, stayed within touching distance despite describing his Toyota as “not quite clicking” for much of the day.
“Seb has pulled the pin out,” he said with a smile. “He’s really fast this afternoon, but the rally is long.”
Nevertheless, Evans’ third place keeps him well placed in the championship fight ahead of Ogier and yet another factory Toyota driver, two-time WRC champ Kalle Rovanpera. The latter headed to Japan equal on points with Ogier, but languished outside the top 10 after an impact with a barrier in the morning damaged his car’s rear suspension and cost him several minutes.
Adrien Fourmaux delivered another standout performance for Hyundai Motorsport, the Frenchman ending the day fourth overall in his i20 N Rally1 and just 0.3s ahead of Sami Pajari’s Toyota after leapfrogging the Finn on the final stage of the day.
Look to fourth place for the first of the non-Toyotas, which would be Adrien Fourmaux in his factory Hyundai i20 N Rally1. Red Bull Content Pool
Fourmaux’s teammates Ott Tanak and Thierry Neuville sat sixth and seventh respectively after a tricky day adapting their i20 Ns to Japan’s narrow asphalt, while Gregoire Munster was the sole surving M-Sport Ford entry in eighth overall.
Munster’s teammate Josh McErlean became the top category’s first casualty when he crashed his Puma Rally1 heavily on the morning’s second stage. The Irishman and his co-driver, Eoin Treacy, were unhurt in the incident but will not restart on Saturday, which features seven stages covering more than 75 competitive miles.
In WRC2, the second tier of international rallying, newly crowned class champion Oliver Solberg leads a stacked field of Rally2 machinery, but isn’t registered for points in Japan. Instead, the Swedish ace is racking up miles and experience in his Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 in preparation for a possible full Rally1 campaign.
Behind him, Alejandro Cachon leads the WRC2 points chasers after stamping his authority with a near-perfect opening leg. Remove Solberg and the Spaniard topped every stage bar one, leading Nikolay Gryazin by 12.1s overnight.
Cachon, driving a GR Yaris Rally2, was immediately on the pace across Friday’s narrow and technical asphalt tests. He surrendered fastest time only once, on the second stage of the morning loop, but otherwise controlled proceedings from the front to end the day with a comfortable margin.
Skoda Fabia RS driver Gryazin was the man briefly interrupting Cachon’s streak, but admitted he could do little more against the relentless benchmark. “I’m trying my best,” he said. “It’s not working more than that.”
After a near-flawless opening leg, Spain’s Alejandro Cachon leads the WRC2 points chasers in his Toyota GR Yaris Rally2. McKlein/Getty Images
WRC Rally Japan, positions after Friday/Leg One, SS7
1 Sebastien Ogier/Vincent Landais (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) 1h11m48.2s
2 Takamoto Katsuta/Aaron Johnston (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) +7.9s
3 Elfyn Evans/Scott Martin (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) +10.2s
4 Adrien Fourmaux/Alexandre Coria (Hyundai i20 N Rally1) +24.0s
5 Sami Pajari/Marko Salminen (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) +24.3s
6 Ott Tanak/Martin Jarveoja (Hyundai i20 N Rally1) +1m12.3s
7 Thierry Neuville/Martijn Wydaeghe (Hyundai i20 N Rally1) +1m33.5s
8 Gregoire Munster/Louis Louka (Ford Puma Rally1) +2m35.9s
9 Oliver Solberg/Elliott Edmondson (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 – WRC2/non-points) +3m22.3s
10 Alejandro Cachon/Borja Rozada (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 – WRC2 leader) +3m45.5s
Watch the rally-closing, bonus points-paying Wolf Power Stage action from Rally Japan LIVE on the RACER+ App on Sunday, Nov. 9, midnight-1:30am ET, with same-day coverage on the RACER Network at 8:30pm ET and 11:30pm ET.
Plus, for a deeper dive into the FIA World Rally Championship, check out the WRC Magazine Show on RACER Network. Catch the latest episode on Sunday, Nov. 9 at 8:00pm ET and 11:00pm ET.
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AloJapan.com