Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville, who had been struggling with technical issues, couldn’t fix the problems during service, and the harsh reality became clear right at the start of the stage. Neuville had to limp to the finish and lost an enormous amount of time.
“Obviously we couldn’t solve the issue that is for sure. The hard work of the year is really valuable now, because those 25 points are really valuable now,” Neuville said at the stage finish.
Neuville’s massive misfortune has boosted his teammate Ott Tänak’s chances in the championship battle. However, Neuville’s position remains strong, and Tänak’s title prospects still look unlikely.
“It is tricky and changing a lot, I can’t find a feeling to push. My target this weekend was the manufacturers’, so (Neuville’s situation) doesn’t help,” Tänak summarised.
Toyota’s Elfyn Evans also faced unexpected struggles, losing a staggering 14.4 seconds to Tänak, who set the fastest time on the stage. Tänak has now taken the overall lead, pushing Evans into second place with a gap of 13.7 seconds.
“I am surprised to lose so much, but I’m pretty sure the tyre was not the right one in here,” Evans admitted at the finish.
While the drivers’ championship race saw its fair share of drama, the manufacturers’ battle was equally eventful. Hyundai’s Andreas Mikkelsen had a heavy crash, hitting a tree. The stage was subsequently stopped.
Mikkelsen’s crash is a major blow to Hyundai’s hopes in the manufacturers’ championship. His primary goal this weekend was to secure solid points for the team.
The crash left Mikkelsen’s car in a dangerous position, making it impossible for others to pass safely. As a result, the stage was red-flagged. Drivers behind Mikkelsen did not finish the stage and will be assigned a notional time.
Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta managed to finish the stage before Mikkelsen’s incident. He set the fourth-fastest time and climbed to third place overall, though he trails the leader by nearly a minute and a half. Ford’s Adrien Fourmaux is fourth overall, with Gregoire Munster in fifth.
Rally Japan standings after SS5/21:
| POS | Driver | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Ott Tänak | Hyundai | 1:00:27.9 |
| 2. | Elfyn Evans | Toyota | +13.7 |
| 3. | Takamoto Katsuta | Toyota | +1:28.9 |
| 4. | Adrien Fourmaux | Ford | +1:34.4 |
| 5. | Gregoire Munster | Ford | +2:00.8 |
| 6. | Sebastien Ogier | Toyota | +2:08.9 |
| 7. | Thierry Neuville | Hyundai | +3:10.3 |
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
