It looks Mikkelsen is confirmed in Japan.
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It looks Mikkelsen is confirmed in Japan.
No Rovanpera also confirmed.
Wonder if there is an element of not "benching" Katsuta from manu team on a Japanese rally.
He did well in CER and also did quite well last two times in Japan. But still he is no Rovanpera.
Losing both titles to a Korean manu on home soil would be extremely bad optics in that country.
I didn't watch Japan last year, but I'm currently watching the replays.
The commentators keep talking about how it's not Rovanpera's kind of road.
Katsuta looks very handy when he's not crashing.
Tanak also looks good in the M-Sport.
The wet weather was a real spectacle on day one. And I really like these stages, it might be my favourite rally of 2023 given that Monte was a bit tame. Looking forward to 2024.
Good news for Hyundai. Also good news for Tanak, one less competitor that could keep him out of the top 3 he needs for Saturday.Quote:
Originally Posted by mknight
Tanak: If Neuville is “smart" there is "no chance" to win WRC title...
https://www.autosport.com/wrc/news/t...tle-/10665347/
So no Rovanpera as he's already done his half-a-season (7/13 Rounds). This is pretty amazing considering how Ogier has done so many extra rallies to try to help Toyota.
https://dirtfish.com/rally/wrc/rovan...season-finale/
so why will rovanpera skip Japan? what's his plan in that week
He is doing a half-season this year because he wants some time off, so he contracted for a certain number of rallies (six or seven?). Earlier this year he did Poland at the last minute to cover for Ogier who crashed badly in practice, so now he's done what was agreed.Quote:
Originally Posted by 1988senna
As for his plan... Kick back, I guess.
For sure Ogier hasn't suddenly abandoned his part time plan for any other reason now did he?Quote:
Originally Posted by Fast Eddie WRC
But he has binned it on 3 of the rallies he did for Toyota this year.Quote:
Originally Posted by Morte66
And he's doing the Killarney Rally in a historic Toyota Starlet around the time of Rally Japan.
Still watching Japan 2023 replays. I'm up to Sunday morning and suddenly everybody is cruising to the finish except Katsuta. It's gone a bit dull. Well well.
Munster looking very useful in WRC2, which is a bit jarring.
That Starlet might be old but it certainly isn't historic - it's got a 2.5 litre Millington in it!Quote:
Originally Posted by Fast Eddie WRC
So he's repping Toyota that week, then. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Fast Eddie WRC
Yep, boring contest on Sunday. Promising roads though -- narrow and very slippery in some places. A bit of real competition in there on a Sunday could get dramatic.Quote:
Originally Posted by Morte66
The onboard video feed was awful for most of the rally, it broke up more than two average rallies. I want to think they'll do something to improve that this year, but...
Rallying UK @RallyingUK
INGRAM: Chris Ingram Set to Compete in Rally Japan with Castrol MEM Rally Team.
British rally champion Chris Ingram, fresh off his 2024 title win, is gearing up to compete in the FORUM8 Rally Japan, marking the final round of the 2024 FIA World Rally Championship. Ingram will drive a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 under the Castrol MEM Rally Team, showcasing Castrol's iconic colours in this high-stakes event set in Japan's Aichi and Gifu prefectures.
🔹 Ingram, a seasoned WRC competitor with 22 rally events under his belt since his debut in 2013, brings experience from two top-10 finishes and multiple podiums in WRC2 and WRC3. The British driver is also a former European Rally Champion.
🔹 2024 has been a standout year for Ingram, with four rally victories and leading positions in every event he's entered, solidifying his reputation in British rallying.
🔹 This Rally Japan appearance will be Ingram’s first WRC2 entry with the Castrol Toyota and his first FIA World Rally Championship event in Asia.
🔹 Ingram's co-driver, Alex Kihurani, is familiar with the Japanese event, having competed in Rally Japan in 2022, which may provide an edge in navigating the local terrain.
Chris Ingram said: “To be given the opportunity to represent Castrol and its iconic colours and compete in Rally Japan in a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 is absolutely incredible.
“Being trusted with this opportunity shows the progress the whole Castrol MEM Rally Team, Alex [Kihurani] and I have made in less than a year.
“We will remain fully focused on delivering an exceptional performance on what will be our first WRC2 entry with the Castrol Toyota and my first long-haul FIA World Rally Championship start.”
Donald Smith, Castrol Global Sponsorship Manager, said: “We are very pleased to announce that Chris [Ingram] and Alex [Kihurani] will be heading to Japan in the Castrol liveried Toyota GR Yaris Rally2.
“Since we launched the Castrol MEM Rally Team earlier this year we have had great interest from the Japanese rally fans, and we look forward to bringing the team to Japan and engaging with the Japanese rally fan base.”
Ingram’s upcoming competition in Japan underscores his swift rise in rallying and strengthens the Castrol MEM Rally Team’s international presence as they look to make a strong impression at Rally Japan.
Congratulations to Chris Ingram on winning the British Rally Championship!
https://britishrallychampionship.co....ionship-crown/
https://www.bbc.com/sport/motorsport...s/c93qqv75ge9o
So now he is:
★ Motorsport UK Young Driver of the Year 2012
★ FIA ERC3 European Rally Champion 2016 & 2017
★ FIA Junior European Rally Champion 2017
★ FIA European Rally Champion overall 2019
★ British Rally Champion overall 2024
Good luck in Japan! :)
Great news for Chris getting a run in Japan. The BRC success has clearly meant a lot to his sponsors but I wonder how much the ERC fan vote for the livery also helped to get him this run? Stuff like that can mean a lot to people in charge of marketing budgets. I think that whoever was behind the retro livery is also due some praise.
Interesting entry listed at 30: Didier Auriol/Denis Giraudet
21 Toyotas. Nice! :)
Yes indeed .. And my countryman Fumal with the Alpine RGT there aswell, quite surprising.Quote:
Originally Posted by 240RS
Verstuurd vanaf mijn 2406APNFAG met Tapatalk
Is it only me that lacks the hype and interest for this rally? IMO stages are nothing more than mediocre, although very challenging for the co-drivers with the ammount of turns.
Very very few or if any fans could be seen following the rally except for the big fan zones and tv screens - seems quite ''dead'' if that is the right word.
I get that Japan is the home of the strongest manufacture team there is and is a huge market for the promoter, but other than that and if I'm not mistaken since the comeback of rally japan in the last 2 years there were serious security breaches with civil car almost crashing with someone and then the zero car accident (if any of those happened somewhere else I doubt that the event would be on the calendar again).
However let's see what this year brings :D
That's more or less the fact that the event is held as the last round, also champion was always decided before tthat round, so nothing to gain there and the sport still being European-centric in popularity, no one bother to come so far away to see nothing special. This year will be different, since 3 championships will be decided there. About next year, maybe we can also assume it will be better, since Saudi is the last round, but I think that the last round should be somewhere in Europe, so the chanches of better visibility would increase, and I think Saudi will never do that, no matter the money.Quote:
Originally Posted by philippebugalski
I agree that the last round should ideally be in europe, bit I for one found it nice to watch a rally on friday/saturday evening/night.
I especially like the stages, they're tight and twisty and hilly and have consequences for going off. They demand precision. They remind me of Corsica, which I miss.Quote:
Originally Posted by philippebugalski
But, it's a matter of taste and all that.
Ahhh,Corsica...miss it too.
Meanwhile in the British press:
https://www.facebook.com/chrisingram...CgwwU19ZwYef3l
With Neuville "massively risk averse" Hyundai needs Mikkelsen to step up...
https://dirtfish.com/rally/wrc/hyund...p-up-in-japan/
Who is the most pressure on, Hyundai or Toyota ? Not us says Latvala...
https://dirtfish.com/rally/wrc/toyot...t-us-in-japan/
"The key thing for Toyota is it’s completely in control of its own destiny. It trails Hyundai by 15 pts, but if it claims maximum points across the weekend it will outscore Hyundai by at least 17 pts."
The weather forecast looks dry this time.
M-SPORT FORD WRT: M-Sport Ford Gears Up for the WRC Finale at Rally Japan
M-Sport Ford World Rally Team prepares for an intense conclusion to the 2024 World Rally Championship with Rally Japan, promising high stakes, challenging conditions, and fan-fuelled excitement. The team, featuring the Ford Puma Rally1 pairings of Adrien Fourmaux/Alex Coria and Grégoire Munster/Louis Louka, is set to compete in the picturesque Aichi and Gifu regions.
Adrien Fourmaux and Alex Coria aim for a strong finish, building on a successful season that included multiple podiums and stage wins. .Fourmaux sees this rally as a full-circle moment, aiming for an asphalt podium despite limited prior experience at Rally Japan.
Grégoire Munster and Louis Louka bring valuable knowledge from competing in Rally2 classes, including a WRC2 class win at Japan in 2022. Munster, fresh off a career-best fifth-place finish at the Central European Rally, seeks to cap the season with a strong performance in familiar terrain.
As the championship reaches its conclusion, Rally Japan promises to be a fitting spectacle to crown a season of remarkable competition and determination for M-Sport Ford and the WRC.
Richard Millener, Team Principal, said:
“It’s been a long, but positive season for the team and it’s always a privilege to round off the season here in front of the passionate Japanese fans. I’m hopeful Adrien can make up for his short event here last year and finish the season in style with another podium chase. Grégoire has had a really good first full season in Rally1 and he has good results here in the past so there is no reason he cannot be looking to equal, or better his career best result to date this weekend.
“It will be a hard weekend with only tyre fitting zones on two days, and tricky stage conditions, but we know the Puma can be strong when it’s like this - so let’s see what we can do for one final weekend this year!”
Adrien Fourmaux said:
“Japan is the last rally of the season, we want to finish the great season we’ve had with a nice result, especially on Tarmac. There are some really tricky, technical roads here and it is quite narrow in places, and the forests can be quite dark this time of year.
“Because it’s a long-haul event, no one has done any testing in preparation, so it’s going to be interesting to see where we can be compared to the others. I’m also looking forward to experiencing the culture again, we didn’t get the result we wanted last time so hopefully this year we can combine success with a great experience of the country.”
Grégoire Munster said:
“Japan is a rally I like a lot, I have been quite competitive here in the Rally2 category in the last couple of years. Plus it is really nice to come to Japan and enjoy another culture. I always notice the love of motorsport and rally here is as big, or even bigger, than in Europe so it’s nice to experience the atmosphere. There are a lot of nice ceremonies, especially the prize giving in the stadium, where a lot of fans gather which is really cool.
“Regarding the stages, there are some new stages on the itinerary this year which will be exciting and the weather conditions are always challenging in Japan during this season. So anything can happen!”
Gryazin with Initial D livery for rally :D
Mikkelsen won his last race in VW, he would be a legend if he wins in japan:)
Sent fra min SM-S901B via Tapatalk
His swift rise in rallying :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Fast Eddie WRC
Dirtfish Recce interviews https://youtu.be/amgYOrJ9MZs?si=QejWTBbSBilo8D_M
Last Pickems this year. Just over 15 hrs before closing Rally Japan pickems. Make your Pickems guys!!
Pickems closint time is 1100 hrs CET tomorrow.
The game for the win is ON!Quote:
Originally Posted by Rallyper
VERY swift !! :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Krigen
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Gc5YOD6W...pg&name=medium
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Gc5CYbNX...pg&name=medium
SS1 start list
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Gc5o9L_a...jpg&name=small
Kajito is so weird