“The drivers' championship is at an exciting point. There are just four points between myself and Sebastien Loeb and that is not a comfortable margin. It is too close to call,” he confirmed. “A win in Japan would obviously help but I think this could go all the way down to the final round in Wales.”

Gronholm was second overall on the Rally Japan last year - just 5.6 seconds behind eventual winner, Sebastien Loeb, while he won the event in 2005 and was fourth in 2004. This will be his fourth start in the 'Land of the Rising Sun' and he thinks it shares many similar characteristics to Rally GB and even Rally Finland.

“The roads are very narrow in places, but quite quick. They remind me of the stages in Great Britain, and even Finland in places. They require great care because there are deep ditches by the side of the road,” he continued.

“It's hard to pick them out because of the thick vegetation and it's tricky to see the exit of corners anyway because overhanging trees block the view,” he added.

Mikko Hirvonen meanwhile believes that if conditions are wintry it could work in his favour: “I've heard temperatures might drop to -5ºC at night, with the possibility of snow and ice. If that's the case, being a Finn, those conditions would suit me,” he explained.


OMV Kronos Citroen WRT:

[Manfred Stohl, car #5]

Stohl by himself.

Manfred Stohl will be hoping to get his first top-five finish of the season this weekend in Japan. Stohl, who has notched up just nine points thus far this year, was on the podium four times in 2006, something he hasn't come close to matching in 2007.

With only three events left time is running out for the Austrian if he wants to do better than the sixth place finish he managed in Mexico back in March and while Japan won't be easy, with only 13 World Rally Cars entered, the signs are quite good.

Indeed last year, Manfred finished fifth in Japan and a similar result now would be well timed.

With 27 stages though, Stohl reckons the key will be to find a rhythm as quickly as possible.

“There are a lot of very short special stages on the Rally Japan. The moment you're into it the SS has already finished. Those who can adjust best to this will be top in the end,” he predicted.

“But we mustn't lose our calm over this. We're here to score points. In my first Citroen-season in 2005 I had accumulated 22 points at the year's end. This year it's only nine so far which means that 13 are still missing - and I have three rallies left to score them.”

For more see Part 2 of our preview for the Rally Japan.