On Saturday’s third stage, a serious situation unfolded when a van entered the stage and drove in the opposite direction while the competition was ongoing.
The Nissan van drove approximately half a kilometre toward the stage’s start, where it blocked Toyota’s Elfyn Evans from beginning the stage. Fortunately, Evans had not yet started the test when the incident occurred.
The FIA investigated the case, and the event stewards delivered their verdict on Sunday evening, local time. The rally organisers were fined €50,000 for the incident.
Additionally, the organisation received a suspended fine of €100,000, which will become payable if a similar safety issue occurs during next year’s Rally Japan. The organisers are also required to conduct comprehensive training for officials before next year’s event.
According to the stewards’ decision, the van driver passed through two separate checkpoints on an access road leading to the stage. Even an official stationed near the stage could not stop the vehicle, which continued 520 metres to the start line and stopped in front of Evans’ Toyota. The stage had to be halted, and the police were called to the scene.
The checkpoints on the access road were staffed by guards from two different security companies, resulting in no communication between them. Additionally, the marshals along the stage could only communicate with each other via radios.
The marshal at the point where the van entered the stage reported the incident to the start control. However, the person responsible at the start failed to immediately inform the rally control.
When the van arrived at the start, Evans’ co-driver Scott Martin reported the issue to their team, which then alerted the FIA’s sporting delegate at the rally headquarters. It was only then that rally control was informed, and the stage was stopped.
The Clerk of the Course agreed with the stewards that the incident was serious and could have led to a major accident due to a lack of communication.
The stewards also considered that a similar near-miss occurred at Rally Japan two years ago. In that incident, a civilian car entered a special stage from an unguarded side road and drove towards Teemu Suninen and Sami Pajari, who were competing at rally speed.
Rally Japan concluded on Sunday with Elfyn Evans taking victory. Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville secured the drivers’ world championship, while Toyota celebrated the manufacturers’ title.
