WRC Rally Japan - Sapporo Japan

[flying finn]

WRC Rally Japan - Sapporo Japan

Total Kms : 1220.43 km
Liaison : 916.89 km
SS Kms : 303.54 km
Special Stages : 26

Thursday 09.09 - Friday 10.09 > 10 stages (122.74 km)
Saturday 10.09 > 8 stages (125.12 km)
Sunday 11.09 > 8 stages (55.68 km)

Home Page > http://www.rallyjapan.jp/e/
Itinerary > http://www.rallyjapan.jp/j/pdf/2010%...01%20final.pdf
Entry List > http://www.rallyjapan.jp/j/pdf/2010RJ_entrylist.pdf
Rally Guide > http://www.rallyjapan.jp/e/2010/08/rally-guide-2.html
FIA page > http://www.fia.com/en-GB/mediacentre...eview_jpn.aspx

Citroen preview > http://www.rallysportlive.com/2010/0...b-and-elena-2/
Ford preview > http://www.rallysportlive.com/2010/0...he-rising-sun/
Citroen Jr preview > http://www.rallysportlive.com/2010/0...nquer-sapporo/
Stobart preview > http://www.rallysportlive.com/2010/0...pan-2010-plan/
Munchi's preview > http://www.crash.net/world+rally/new..._in_japan.html

Championship Standings

1. Sebastien Loeb (FRA) > 191
2. Sebastien Ogier (FRA) > 133
3. Jari-Matti Latvala (FIN) > 117
4. Petter Solberg (N) > 100
5. Dani Sordo (ESP) > 95
6. Mikko Hirvonen (FIN) > 86
7. Matthew Wilson (GBR) > 56
8. Federico Villagra (ARG) > 26
9. Henning Solberg (N) > 25
10. Kimi Raikkonen (FIN) > 21

[kobefly]

I will be difficult for Villagra to hold 8th position in the championship. I hope he can manage to finish ahead of Hening!

8 runs to Sapporo SS, isn't that a record?

[kobefly]

Excellent first leg for Petter.

It seems there are not many WRC enthusiast here

[manthey]

seems loeb would like to win the title in the next (home)rally

[BertMk2]

Originally Posted by kobefly

It seems there are not many WRC enthusiast here

Most of us are a bit despondent about the current state of the WRC I think

Yet again it's going to be Loebs year even if he does seem to be a bit off the pace in Japan. I hope Solberg keeps the lead in this one, it'd be good to see him win again

[rx-guru]

Originally Posted by kobefly

Excellent first leg for Petter.

It seems there are not many WRC enthusiast here

This is Rallycross soil here.

But to split Rallying and Rallycross was refused by the admins.

And I think that is a reason why there are no many WRC fans here.

[tbtstt]

Originally Posted by BertMk2

Most of us are a bit despondent about the current state of the WRC I think

Completely agree. WRC needs a major injection of life - I hope next years changes can bring it.

Originally Posted by BertMk2

Yet again it's going to be Loebs year even if he does seem to be a bit off the pace in Japan. I hope Solberg keeps the lead in this one, it'd be good to see him win again

I'm really in two minds on this season. Loeb has been (mostly) dominant and has only really been challenged when he has made an error, so I think he deserves to win the final title with the current crop of WRC machinery - on the other hand though, I really want to see someone else lift the title!

It would have great to see Petter right at the top this year, but at the very least he deserves a win. Fingers crossed for him!

[kobefly]

I am also disappointed at WRC to be honest but I am still enthusiastic.

I hope more manufactures and cars join the WRC soon to start making the championship stronger.

On my driver, Villagra is doing very low profile performance up to now. Would like to know how equal or different is his Focus to the others, just to have a measure.

[Minicross424]

I have been a bit bored of the loeb train winning everything and in the whole making the wrc boring.
However im excited about the Mini entry and seeing the first pic in Autosport was great.

[manthey]

Originally Posted by Minicross424

I have been a bit bored of the loeb train winning everything and in the whole making the wrc boring.
However im excited about the Mini entry and seeing the first pic in Autosport was great.

as reported here

http://www.maxrally.com/news/entry/m..._test_version/

mini will look different from the testing-picture we saw yesterday http://prodrive.com/p_releases.html?id=281

[cg7aa]

Japan is proving to be interesting at least, very close margins between the top 4 or 5.

[TWRv12]

Originally Posted by rx-guru

But to split Rallying and Rallycross was refused by the admins.

Totally brain dead decision!

[flying finn]

1. Sebastien Ogier (FRA) > Citroen C4 > 3:10:26.4 (+0:00.0)
2. Petter Solberg (N) > Citroen C4 > 3:10:42.1 (+0:15.7)
3. Jari-Matti Latvala (FIN) > Ford Focus > 3:10:52.4 (+0:26.0)
4. Dani Sordo (ESP) > Citroen C4 > 3:11:01.6 (+0:35.2)
5. Sebastien Loeb (FRA) > Citroen C4 > 3:11:19.7 (+0:53.3)
6. Mikko Hirvonen (FIN) > Ford Focus > 3:11:39.9 (+1:13.5)
7. Henning Solberg (N) > Ford Focus > 3:13:29.5 (+3:03.1)
8. Federico Villagra (ARG) > Ford Focus > 3:20:44.3 (+10:17.9)
9. Jari Ketomaa (FIN) > Ford Fiesta > 3:25:13.5 (+14:47.1)
10. Martin Prokop (CZ) > Ford Fiesta > 3:25:47.2 (+15:20.8)
23. Matthew Wilson (GBR) > Ford Focus > 3:54:26.1 (+43:59.7)
DNF. Kimi Raikkonen (FIN) > Citroen C4 > SS19 - off road
DNF. Khalid Al Qassimi (UAE) > Ford Focus > SS3 - off road

> nice win for Ogier; good to see Solberg and Latvala on the podium
> Loeb's worst result of the season
> just three rallies remain - France, Catalunya and GB
> press conference > http://www.fia.com/en-GB/mediacentre...conf_jpn2.aspx

Championship Standings

1. Sebastien Loeb (FRA) > 201
2. Sebastien Ogier (FRA) > 158
3. Jari-Matti Latvala (FIN) > 132
4. Petter Solberg (N) > 118
5. Dani Sordo (ESP) > 107
6. Mikko Hirvonen (FIN) > 94
7. Matthew Wilson (GBR) > 56
8. Henning Solberg (N) > 31
9. Federico Villagra (ARG) > 30
10. Kimi Raikkonen (FIN) > 21

[tbtstt]

Was Loeb struggling, or has he done that so he can take the title in France?

[manthey]

Originally Posted by tbtstt

Was Loeb struggling, or has he done that so he can take the title in France?

I think more he would like to win the title in his Alsace

[cg7aa]

This was the one that got away from Petter, I'm not saying Ogier was gifted it but I think Petter had the legs on him. Damn that 10 second penalty and the damper problem! There may be one last chance of a win this season...

With all the talk in the TV coverage about how 'fanatical' the fans in Japan are, the stages were very empty indeed. Maybe it was my perception but it seemed even more empty than normal if you compare it to places like Argentina. Mind you, the vegetation around the narrow stages in Japan doesn't make it particularly easy to watch from the stages I guess.

[tbtstt]

It may be a coincidence, but would the interest of the Japanese public have lessened given that there are no Japanese/East Asian manufacturers involved with the WRC these days?