Hyundai’s Ott Tänak suffered a heavy crash on the first stage of the morning, losing all his points. This incident has added even more tension to the manufacturers’ title fight.
After the morning loop, Toyota holds a double lead in the rally. Elfyn Evans is leading, with Sébastien Ogier in second. The gap between the two stands at over one and a half minutes.
However, Sunday has been dominated by Hyundai. Thierry Neuville, who secured the championship early in the morning following Tänak’s crash, has been in excellent form and has claimed the top spot on Super Sunday.
“Now I’m really enjoying this. The car’s balance is better, and I can push properly,” Neuville summarised at the stage finish.
Trailing Neuville in the Super Sunday standings is teammate Andreas Mikkelsen, who is 1.3 seconds behind the Belgian. Toyota’s Ogier is 8.4 seconds off the pace for Sunday’s stages, while his teammate Evans is 10.1 seconds behind.
Toyota’s tactics, however, have been puzzling. Takamoto Katsuta, who is fourth overall in the rally, seems to have more speed than Ford’s Adrien Fourmaux. Yet, for some reason, he does not appear to be allowed to push harder.
“I’m just following the strategy, and we’ll see what I can do on the next loop,” Katsuta said enigmatically.
Katsuta is just over 12 seconds behind the third-placed Fourmaux, a gap that could still potentially be closed.
In the WRC2 category, Toyota’s Sami Pajari is solidifying his championship position. Pajari only needs to finish in the top two in Japan to secure the title.
“This was quite a clean stage. Some sections in the middle were very slippery. Otherwise, it was enjoyable to drive,” Pajari commented.
Two more stages remain on Sunday at Rally Japan.
Rally Japan standings after SS18/21:
| POS | Driver | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Elfyn Evans | Toyota | 3.13.12.8 |
| 2. | Sebastien Ogier | Toyota | +1.31.2 |
| 3. | Adrien Fourmaux | Ford | +1.50.8 |
| 4. | Takamoto Katsuta | Toyota | +2.03.4 |
| 5. | Gregoire Munster | Ford | +3.03.1 |
| 6. | Thierry Neuville | Hyundai | +6.55.1 |
Super Sunday Standings:
| Sijoitus | Kuljettaja | Talli | Aika |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Thierry Neuville | Hyundai | 32.36.7 |
| 2. | Andreas Mikkelsen | Hyundai | +1.3 |
| 3. | Sebastien Ogier | Toyota | +8.4 |
| 4. | Elfyn Evans | Toyota | +10.1 |
| 5. | Adrien Fourmaux | Ford | +19.8 |
| 6. | Takamoto Katsuta | Toyota | +26.3 |
| 7. | Gregoire Munster | Ford | +44.1 |
Rally Japan itinerary (CET):
Thursday 21 November
01.01 Shakedown: Kuragaike Park (2.75 km)
11.05 SS1: Toyota Stadium SSS 1 (2.15 km)
Friday, 22 November
23:44 SS2: Isegami’s Tunnel 1 (23.67 km)
00:44 SS3: Inabu / Shitara 1 (19.38 km)
02:12 SS4: Shinshiro 1 (17.41 km)
04:27 Tyre fitting zone (15 min)
05:32 SS5: Isegami’s Tunnel 2 (23.67 km)
06:32 SS6: Inabu / Shitara 2 (19.38 km)
08:00 SS7: Shinshiro 2 (17.41 km)
10:35 SS8: Okazaki SSS 1 (2.54 km)
10:44 SS9: Okazaki SSS 2 (2.54 km)
Saturday, 23 November
00:05 SS10: Mt. Kasagi 1 (16.47 km)
01:03 SS11: Nenoue Kougen 1 (11.60 km)
02:16 SS12: Ena 1 (22.79 km)
04:04 Tyre fitting zone (15 min)
05:05 SS13: Mt. Kasagi 2 (16.47 km)
06:08 SS14: Nenoue Kougen 2 (11.60 km)
07:16 SS15: Ena 2 (22.79 km)
10:07 Service (45 min)
11:05 SS16: Toyota Stadium SSS 2 (2.15 km)
Sunday, 24 November
23:39 SS17: Nukata 1 (20.23 km)
00:35 SS18: Lake Mikawako 1 (13.98 km)
01:38 SS19: Nukata 2 (20.23 km)
03:49 Service (15 min)
04:17 SS20: Toyota Stadium SSS 3 (2.15 km)
06:15 SS21: Lake Mikawako 2 (13.98 km) Power Stage
