Elfyn Evans leads Ott Tänak by just 0.7 seconds after a chaotic morning at Rally Japan, with championship leader Thierry Neuville experiencing serious power issues with his Hyundai i20 N Rally1. Toyota's hopes in the constructors' title race were also hit early with punctures for Sebastien Ogier and Takamoto Katsuta.
Evans vs. Tänak: A battle at the top
Evans delivered a measured performance to take the rally lead from Tänak on SS4, taking advantage of the Estonian's cautious approach and Neuville's sudden misfortunes. Despite his advantage, Evans remains cautious about the unpredictable nature of Rally Japan.
“It doesn’t change anything,” Evans said. “This rally is known for its challenges, so it’s not easy.”
Tänak, who briefly led after SS3, maintained the pace but acknowledged Neuville's problems half-heartedly, saying simply: “No good news.”
Neuville's power problems
Thierry Neuville, who started the day strong with a stage victory on SS2, encountered a significant power issue midway through SS4, costing him 40 seconds. The problem left him unable to compete at full capacity, and with no downtime until the evening, his team faced a race against time to restore his car's performance.
“I don't know [ce qui ne va pas],” admitted a frustrated Neuville. “No power.”
Despite his problems, Neuville remains in third, 31.0 seconds ahead of Katsuta, but his championship ambitions could depend on his team's ability to resolve the issue quickly.
Difficult start for Toyota
Toyota's hopes for the constructors' title suffered major blows when Ogier and Katsuta encountered problems on SS2. Ogier suffered a puncture and lost more than two minutes, while Katsuta damaged a tire, knocking him out of the podium race.
Ogier made a comeback with a stage victory on SS4, climbing to ninth overall but remaining more than 30 seconds behind the top five.
Battles and misadventures in the middle of the pack
Adrien Fourmaux and Andreas Mikkelsen provided plenty of action in the midfield. Fourmaux dropped to fifth after losing significant time on the slippery roads, while Mikkelsen took the lead from Grégoire Munster, who spun his car to avoid hitting a wall during SS3.
“There was a slippery braking zone that I didn't have in my race notes,” Munster explained. “I had to turn the car to avoid going straight into the wall.”
WRC2 drama: Gryazin in the lead, Pajari remains in the race
In WRC2, Nikolay Gryazin holds a comfortable lead of 46.7 seconds after Sami Pajari suffered a left-front puncture, costing him more than 30 seconds. Despite this setback, Pajari remained in position to win the championship, helped by the failure of Gus Greensmith's rear brakes which damaged his Škoda.
“A lot of things are happening, but things are still going pretty well at the moment,” Pajari said. “I just have to stay focused and drive the way I feel.”
Ranking after SS4
- Elfyn Evans (Toyota) – 40m32.7s
- Ott Tänak (Hyundai) – +0.7s
- Thierry Neuville (Hyundai) – +31.0s
- Takamoto Katsuta (Toyota) – +62.0s
- Adrien Fourmaux (M-Sport) – +64.7s
- Andreas Mikkelsen (Skoda) – +76.3s
- Grégoire Munster (Hyundai) – +88.9s
- Sami Pajari (Toyota, WRC2) – +135.4s
What's next?
With Evans and Tänak engaged in a tight battle at the front and Neuville struggling to overcome his power issues, Rally Japan promises high-stakes drama as the weekend unfolds. Toyota's fight for the constructors' title looks increasingly difficult, but Evans could still play spoilsport if he maintains his form. For Neuville, the championship could depend on his Hyundai's ability to find its rhythm before it is too late.
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