Categories:WRC, SWRC, PWRC

Based:Sapporo

Surface:Gravel

Most Recent Winner:Mikko Hirvonen (2008)

Website:www.rallyjapan.jp

After making its WRC debut in 2004, Rally Japan has quickly become a popular fixture in the calendar, and one which attracts a huge number of dedicated fans from the host county.

Japan and rallying are almost intrinsically linked, with Japanese manufacturers such as Toyota, Mitsubishi, Suzuki, Mazda, Nissan and, perhaps most notably, Subaru all having tasted success in the sport. The Japanese rally fans, as with most sports, are loyal, knowledgeable and extremely enthusiastic.

The rally is based on Hokkaido, the northernmost of Japan's islands, and from 2004 to 2007 used the twisty, narrow and soft gravel stages of the Tokachi region, close to the city of Obihiro.

For the most recent edition in 2008, however, the event moved to a new base in the city of Sapporo, Hokkaido’s main city, and a selection of brand new gravel stages in the surrounding countryside and forests. It also featured one of the most spectacular Super Specials of the year; which ran inside and outside the futuristic looking Sapporo Dome sports stadium.

Rally Japan returns to the WRC calendar this year after a year out in 2009 in accordance with the FIA's event rotation system.

petter solberg from PSWRT is on full charge mode from the beginning of the rally....I rely want him to win this event as he deserves it....

Ace Ogier lands victory number two in Japan



The 26-year-old from France started the final day 5.4 seconds adrift of overnight leader Petter Solberg in third place but moved in front with the fastest time through the first Naekawa stage.

With Solberg’s privately-run Citroen C4 WRC hampered by a suspected broken damper and erstwhile second-placed driver Mikko Hirvonen’s Ford Focus suffering a differential pump failure, Ogier faced little resistance as he stormed to victory on the 10th round of the season in his factory C4.

“It’s amazing really and I’m really happy,” said Ogier, who eventually won by 15.7s. “Arriving here for my first time I knew it was a difficult rally because I don’t like stages that are very rough. But quickly I found a good feeling and a good rhythm.”


http://www.wrc.com/news/ace-ogier-lands ... ?fid=13638

I have all the respect for ogier and his 2nd win in japan this session ....sebastien is the next sebastien that every1 are lookin for but....He only won this rally cuz petter ran with damper problems on SS23 if i am rite....but i really feel being a privateer and messing it up to the manufacturers is something extra ordinary about petter solberg.. ....But this is rallying and only finishing 1st counts so hearty congrats to sebastien ogier... now its time to see petter agian in his FAV terrain the last round of WRC the GB rally....