Thierry Neuville entered the season-ending Rally Japan with a commanding 25-point lead over his Hyundai teammate Ott Tänak. Effectively, this means that Neuville would secure the championship with just six points from the Japanese tarmac rally.
Neuville got off to a strong start and was firmly in the fight for the lead after the third stage. However, on the final stage of Friday morning’s loop, he encountered a technical issue that forced him to limp to the finish, losing 40 seconds in the process.
After the morning’s three stages, the drivers had only a short tyre fitting zone, allowing for limited repairs to the car. Only spare parts carried in the car could be used for any fixes.
Neuville feared the worst as he arrived at the service area.
“It came suddenly. The power just disappeared, so I have no clue. We are going to find out it,” Neuville said.
“Seems like it’s not mechanical so that is a positive thing. Nevertheless, I’m not sure if we are able to fix it. The guys are working on it. We have a lot of spare parts in the car so hopefully we have what it needs to fix it,” he added.
Neuville mentioned that he could potentially complete the remaining stages on Friday at a slower pace, but that would leave him minutes behind the leaders. In such a case, he would likely miss out on the provisional points available by Saturday evening.
“The turbo seems to fine so that is a good thing. Maybe it is not a lot or maybe it is. We don’t know,” Neuville speculated.
Mechanics worked furiously to repair the car within the short window of time. Activity around Neuville’s Hyundai was intense, but it remained unclear whether the issue was resolved. Neuville nevertheless left the tyre fitting zone to begin the afternoon loop.
If Neuville’s car lacks power for the remainder of Friday’s stages, Tänak could find himself back in contention for the drivers’ title. Tänak needs to outscore Neuville by 26 points to claim the championship.
In practical terms, Tänak would need to be leading the standings by Saturday evening and secure significant points on Super Sunday. However, Neuville still has a lifeline with the potential to earn up to 12 points on Sunday.
The manufacturers’ championship is also on the line in Rally Japan, and Neuville’s situation could have significant implications. Hyundai leads the standings by 15 points, but Toyota is pushing hard to close the gap in their home event.
Toyota’s Sebastien Ogier suffered a puncture on Friday morning’s opening stage, losing around two minutes. Takamoto Katsuta, also driving for Toyota, experienced a tyre failure on the same stage.
Toyota’s Elfyn Evans currently leads Rally Japan by 0.7 seconds over Tänak, with Neuville sitting third, 40 seconds adrift. Five more stages remain on Friday.
