Rally Japan - SS13 - Ogier flawless, French one-two ahead of Elfyn Evans

Although he had gained a few tenths at the end of SS12, Sébastien Ogier this time put everyone in agreement by securing seconds ahead of Adrien Fourmaux and Elfyn Evans.

Published 08/11/2025 à 08:07

Comment on this article! ⁰

Rally Japan – SS13 – Ogier flawless, French one-two ahead of Elfyn Evans

Imperturbable, Sébastien Ogier didn't miss his opportunity during this 13th special stage. On the route of his first stage victory.Adrien fourmauxSébastien Ogier left his competitors with little chance of recovery, crossing the line last. The driver was particularly convincing. Hyundai He certainly expected to win again on this track, but was forced to settle for second place. Satisfied with his approach, Sébastien Ogier almost had reason to regret his strategy for the day, considering that he could have delivered a better performance up to that point in the day. Rally from Japan WRCThe Frenchman now has a 4,9 second lead.

Having enjoyed a lead of nearly 8 seconds, the eight-time world champion saw Elfyn Evans keep pace with him, although the Welshman faded somewhat over the course of the race. Behind this still tightly contested top three, Sami Pajari and Kalle Rovanperä once again proved effective in the various scenarios they faced. Sixth, Ott Tänak Meanwhile, it continues to improve, thanks to constant changes in settings.

ALSO READ > LIVE – Ogier recovers ahead of Evans, follow the third day of Rally Japan with our live text commentary

Ogier on top, Neuville and Katsuta out

In WRC2, Oliver Solberg continues his dominant performance. With a 5,8-second lead over his nearest rival at the end of this stage, the Swede sees Alejandro Cachon and Nikolay Gryazin more than a minute behind his overall time at this stage of Rally Japan. Heading into SS14, a mere 3km long, the day's gaps could well remain unchanged, unless a dramatic turn of events further spices up the end of the day.

As a reminder, Thierry Neuville had to end his day in his Hyundai due to a suspension failure sustained during a liaison stage. Meanwhile, Takamoto Katsuta made a mistake during SS12, causing a problem with his power steering. For now, the top three are avoiding following the example of these two experienced drivers and will meet again at 9:35 AM (French time) for the start of SS14.