The 2024 FIA World Rally Championship title chase will go down to the wire in Japan next week (November 21-24) with two manufacturers – Hyundai and Toyota – and two crews – Thierry Neuville/Martijn Wydaeghe and Ott Tänak/Martin Järveoja – battling for overall glory.
After 12 action-packed rounds, Neuville is 25 points ahead of Tänak and can become Belgium’s first world champion rally driver by banking six points on the FORUM8 Rally Japan decider regardless of Tänak’s result.
Whatever the outcome in event base Toyota City next Sunday afternoon, the Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team will celebrate a maiden Drivers’ title having never previously succeeded in its pursuit of this coveted crown.
But while the Drivers’ championship is balanced in Neuville’s favour ahead of the sealed-surface finale, the race to win the prestigious FIA World Rally Championship for Manufacturers is far from settled.
Hyundai leads the way with 526 points, but Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT, the defending champion, is just 15 points behind, a deficit that can be cancelled out if the Japanese outfit scores strongly on home soil and Hyundai falters.
Title chase also in the supporting categories
The FIA WRC2 and FIA WRC2 Challenger titles are also up for grabs in Japan, further raising the prospects of a hugely exciting final event of the season.
Oliver Solberg tops the WRC2 standings but with the event not part of his 2024 schedule, Sami Pajari can be champion by finishing in second place, a result that would also be enough for Pajari to win the WRC2 Challenger title, even if Nikolay Gryazin banks a fourth category win of the season. However, with a typically strong competition expected, Pajari will have his work cut out to claim the points he needs.
To be successful on Rally Japan, crews must overcome the challenge of twisty and narrow mountain roads, speed variations, changeable weather and cold temperatures early in the day.
Tyre compound choice and strategy will be notable factors, especially with dense tree cover over large sections of the route making for the prospect of slippery conditions. By running first on the road on leg one, Neuville is set to benefit from a cleaner road surface.
Pirelli, which completes its tenure as the official FIA World Rally Championship tyre supplier on Rally Japan, will provide its P Zero RA tyres in hard and soft compounds, plus its Cinturato RWB tyre in case of heavy rain. The hard compound is the first choice and is designed for warm and dry weather, while the soft version is for cool and damp conditions. A maximum of 28 tyres are available for each Rally1 entry with four set aside for the Kuragaike Park shakedown on Thursday.
Although rain is forecast early next week, dry and sunny weather is expected for the rally with the action set to take place in ambient temperatures of between six and 18 degrees centigrade.
