https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HHiZQsLX...jpg&name=large
Printable View
https://www.powerslideblog.com/wrc-r...-route-preview
My Rally Japan route preview - with some cool interactive maps that I have made. Pretty much identical to last year, but with one new stage.
Ogier fastest in shakedown
https://ewrc-results.com/event/96261...2026/shakedown
Watching Adrien Fourmaux's in-car footage on the shakedown was very revealing. The amount of steering input and "busy" activity behind the wheel is a massive pointer to just how difficult the Hyundai is to handle on tarmac. That alone is the rally lost before it's even started.
I hope, though, that isn't the reason for the unusually low traffic on this page. This must be the least we have ever dabbled on an event. And with the time differences with most of the rest of the world, it doesn't look like we will be very lively this weekend.
Don’t worry
Everything will be awesome next year as they say here
After the first run Thierry said that when he accelerated the car went straight which indicates understeer. I wonder if all the Hyundais have the same issue. But anyway.. glad we have a massive time zone difference and I can't follow. Going to be the battle of Toyotas again..
It’s Japan, it’s not Obihiro, hell it’s not even the Colin McRae Rally stages from the ‘04 & ‘05 games (which were on tarmac) and there’s quite a bit of a time difference. Now, if Hyundai were actually able to mount a challenge on Toyota or we’d have a VWesk team to have a two giant fight it out..okay but we’re neither here nor there so….
Quote:
Originally Posted by 240RS
The car looked evil again.
As for the rally, I find it somehow less fitting at this time of the year.
I watch a lot of Hyundai Onboards on WRC+ because of this. It's not fast, but entertaining. Car is really a dog, even on gravel. How do you even get there as a team?
Neuville 3 seconds slower on a 2 minute stage must be a record even for Hyundai !