Will Thierry Neuville soon be forced to retire in Japan?

The first loop of the second stage of the Rally Japan did not smile upon Thierry Neuville and Martijn Wydaeghe. The 2024 World Rally Champions initially lost ground on both Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 of Takamoto Katsuta – Aaron Johnston then of Sami Pajari – Marko Salminen, before seeing Adrien fourmaux and Alexandre Coria passed in front of them again. "We made some changes to the car compared to yesterday, but unfortunately they didn't pay off.""That's all Thierry Neuville had to say at the end of the first loop," he commented. More problematic, however, is the handbrake issue encountered in the final stage of the tour: while the Belgian crew managed to finish it, the question now is whether or not they can repair it before the end of the day. This is a significant concern, since, as a reminder, the two loops of the day are split by a remote service area where technical interventions are limited, instead of a proper return to Toyota City.

A recalcitrant handbrake in Japan on Thierry Neuville's Hyundai i20N Rally1

"We tried to fix it ourselves, but unfortunately, it didn't hold. We'll soon go to the Tire Fitting Zone to see if we can repair it: it might just be a minor problem, but I'm afraid it might not be. If we can't fix it, the afternoon is going to be very difficult."“We’re going to have to deal with this,” Thierry Neuville hinted after the first three stages of the day. Indeed, if their car remains without a handbrake until the end of the stage, the task will become very tricky for Neuville and Wydaeghe, who won’t be able to pivot their vehicle using it. Knowing also that the day will conclude with two runs through the Fujioka Super Special Stage, which includes a “Donut” and several right-angle turns, the consequences could be severe for the Belgians this evening. While the absence of this device won’t prevent the two men from continuing, their journey will inevitably become fraught with obstacles…

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