Ogier leads before the rally’s final stage and also tops the Super Sunday standings, putting the Frenchman in line for a massive haul of points. Elfyn Evans, who leads the World Rally Championship, sits second behind Ogier, 11.5 seconds adrift. Evans has also driven an excellent rally, but Ogier looks set to level the title fight heading into the season finale in Saudi Arabia at the end of November.
“This was a good stage. There was less water than in the morning. Back then, it was worse to start further back, but now the rain hit the front-runners,” Ogier explained.
“It was bloody difficult. I was definitely too cautious towards the end,” said Evans.
In the second pass of the Nukata stage, the gaps became huge as rain hit the early runners, while Ogier, who set the fastest time, enjoyed better conditions. Toyota’s Kalle Rovanperä, for example, lost more than 20 seconds to the stage winner.
“There was a lot of water. There was really nothing we could do,” lamented Rovanperä, who remains third in the Super Sunday classification.
Toyota’s Sami Pajari holds third overall, on course for the first podium of his career. Behind him, Hyundai’s Ott Tänak is over a minute adrift, allowing Pajari to focus on securing his podium result on the final stage. M-Sport Ford’s Grégoire Munster sits fifth, with Rovanperä in sixth.
Oliver Solberg has once again been the fastest Rally2 driver, but he is no longer competing for WRC2 points. The class is led by Spaniard Alejandro Cachón.
The final day of Rally Japan concludes with one remaining stage on Sunday.
Rally Japan standings after SS19/20:
| POS. | Driver | Car | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Sebastien Ogier | Toyota | 3:11:39.6 |
| 2. | Elfyn Evans | Toyota | +11.5 |
| 3. | Sami Pajari | Toyota | +1:52.9 |
| 4. | Ott Tänak | Hyundai | +3:05.9 |
| 5. | Gregoire Munster | Ford | +6:28.0 |
| 6. | Kalle Rovanperä | Toyota | +6:52.1 |
| 7. | Oliver Solberg | Toyota | +8:06.0 |
| 8. | Alejandro Cachon | Toyota | +9:44.6 |
| 9. | Nikolai Grjazin | Skoda | +10:44.6 |
| 10. | Jan Solans | Toyota | +11:40.1 |
Super Sunday Standings
| POS. | Driver | Car | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Sebastien Ogier | Toyota | 38:44.6 |
| 2. | Elfyn Evans | Toyota | +5.0 |
| 3. | Kalle Rovanperä | Toyota | +24.2 |
| 4. | Takamoto Katsuta | Toyota | +24.5 |
| 5. | Ott Tänak | Hyundai | +31.4 |
Rally Japan itinerary (CET):
Thursday 6 November
01:01 Shakedown: Kuragaike Park (2.75 km)
08:05 SS1: Kuragaike Park SSS (2.75 km)
Friday 7 November
23:06 SS2: Inabu / Shitara 1 (17.08 km)
00:29 SS3: Shinshiro 1 (17.41 km)
02:02 SS4: Isegami’s Tunnel 1 (19.66 km)
03:57 Service (40 min)
05:35 SS5: Isegami’s Tunnel 2 (19.66 km)
06:53 SS6: Inabu / Shitara 2 (17.08 km)
08:16 SS7: Shinshiro 2 (17.41 km)
Saturday 8 November
23:23 SS8: Obara 1 (16.44 km)
00:34 SS9: Ena 1 (21.25 km)
02:05 SS10: Mt Kasagi 1 (21.74 km)
04:35 SS11: Mt Kasagi 2 (21.74 km)
06:08 SS12: Ena 2 (21.25 km)
07:21 SS13: Obara 2 (16.44 km)
09:35 SS14: Toyota City SSS (3.05 km)
Sunday 9 November
00:39 SS15: Nukata 1 (20.23 km)
01:35 SS16: Lake Mikawako 1 (13.98 km)
02:53 SS17: Okazaki SSS 1 (1.98 km)
03:04 SS18: Okazaki SSS 2 (1.98 km)
04:33 SS19: Nukata 2 (20.23 km)
06:15 SS20: Lake Mikawako 2 (13.98 km) *Power Stage
