With the rally taking place in autumn in the height of the typhoon season, it is likely that rain showers will fall each day, leaving the ground saturated. With some stages used five times, the roads can quickly become heavily rutted. Temperatures will be low, with a strong chance of snow as it dips below 0 degrees Celsius by night.
As with last year, Rally Japan comprises 27 stages. The five services during legs one and two do not permit refuelling, therefore there are four remote refuels on both days to cover the 465.40km of liaison on Friday and 468.78 on Saturday. In a change from last year, the stages farthest north will not be run to reduce the overall liaison distance.
FIA World Rally Championship news:
Marcus Gronholm saw his lead in the 2007 FIA World Rally drivers' championship cut further following the event in Corsica two weeks ago. With Sebastien Loeb taking the victory in Catalunya and Gronholm ‘only’ finishing second, the Finn's cushion was reduced from 6 points to 4.
Mikko Hirvonen meanwhile remained third in the standings, while Daniel Sordo consolidated fourth spot further increasing the gap between himself and
Petter Solberg.
In the Manufacturers' championship there was no change at the top - although the
BP Ford WRT did see its massive lead over
Citroen reduced again from 39 points to 32.
As for the Junior Rally Championship, Per-Gunnar Andersson took the title, 5 points ahead of
Urmo Aava, who was level on points going into Tour de Corse, but who failed to score after crashing out on day 2.
Since that event it has been relatively quiet, although the entry list for Rally Ireland has been confirmed. 90 crews will start the inaugural Rally Ireland next month with over a third set to compete in World Rally Cars, including in addition to the usual ‘works’ drivers, Guy Wilks, Kris Meeke and multiple Irish tarmac champion, Eugene Donnelly.
News from the Manufacturers' teams:
Citroen Total WRT:
[
Sebastien Loeb, car #1 and
Daniel Sordo, car #2]
Loeb: Slightest error could be critical.
Sebastien Loeb has said that he has no choice but to go for the win this weekend. Loeb, who is going for his fourth drivers’ title on the trot, has won the last two events in succession to cut the gap to Marcus Gronholm at the top of the drivers’ championship to just four points.
