Tänak solid leader of the Rally of Japan, Neuville relegated to almost eight minutes!

• This 2024 season may have taken a completely different turn during the final round this Friday, the first day of this Rally from Japan. The championship leader Thierry Neuville, spared from major mechanical problems this year, suffered an engine problem on SS4 in the morning, with a significant lack of power. A problempine that the Belgian and his mechanics were unable to resolve in the tire fitting area (which is not a service area), and the driver Hyundai had to drive slowly all afternoon with his diminished i20 N Rally1.

Tense times for our championship leaders 🫣#WRC | #RallyJapan 🇯🇵 pic.twitter.com/L3DSED0bEp

— FIA World Rally Championship (@OfficialWRC) November 22, 2024

• Race result: after nine special stages, Thierry Neuville is relegated to 15th position in the general classification, 7'41"3 behind the leader who is none other than... his rival for the title, Ott Tänak ! The Estonian took full advantage of the situation: equipped with only one spare wheel in the afternoon loop, the 2019 world champion took control of Rally Japan and escaped in the lead thanks to an impressive attack, ahead of Elfyn Evans and Adrien fourmaux.
• An ideal scenario for the Estonian, and a disaster for the Belgian who will most certainly have to play for the title on Sunday alone with the points distributed during the Super Sunday. The championship leader could have secured (mathematically) the title if he finished in the Top 6 in the Saturday evening standings (on condition of finishing the rally), but with such a delay, it is difficult to imagine him coming back up that high! The native of Saint-Vith nevertheless still has all his chances and his destiny in his own hands.
• The battle is also raging for the last step of the podium! Despite having a difficult time with his Ford Puma in the morning, Adrien Fourmaux managed to come back to 3rd place, ahead of local hero Takamoto Katsuta by a tenth! Sébastien Ogier, victim of a puncture in SS2 which made him lose two minutes, is lying in wait 21″7 from the podium and therefore from his compatriot.
• In the battle for the Constructors' Championship, advantage Toyota in this first part of the Rally Japan. No Yaris encountered any problems this Friday and the three Japanese models are present in the Top 5. On the Hyundai side, in addition to Thierry Neuville's problems, the Korean clan lost one of its cars since Andreas Mikkelsen had to retire after an accident in SS5. The Norwegian went off the track and hit a wooden post and then a tree. The Hyundai remained immobilized in the middle of the track, forcing the stewards to interrupt the special with a red flag.

Andreas Mikkelsen off the road on SS5 🚨#WRC | #RallyJapan 🇯🇵 pic.twitter.com/KgF6EW3YOn

— FIA World Rally Championship (@OfficialWRC) November 22, 2024

• In the WRC2 category, Nikolay Gryazin is comfortably in the lead of the rally with 1'13″5 over a cautious Sami Pajari. The Finn, who must finish in the top two to clinch the WRC2 crown, is currently in an excellent position to win the title. Irishman Josh McErlean is in third position, almost a minute behind the Toyota driver.

WRC – Rally Japan
General ranking after ES9

ALSO READ > The 2024 Rally Japan program