OGIER TRIUMPHS IN TOYOTA GAZOO RACING 1-2-3 TO SET UP SHOWDOWN
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing World Rally Team, for whom ENDLESS is a brake parts supply partner, has claimed a home 1-2-3 finish at Rally Japan with Sébastien Ogier edging out Elfyn Evans in a wet finale to take victory and set up a last-round showdown for the drivers’ championship.
Sami Pajari finished third overall to complete the team’s podium lockout and secure his maiden WRC podium finish in his first full season competing at the highest level.
It is the team’s third successive Rally Japan win from four editions (and the second 1-2-3 finish) and a first for Ogier and his co-driver Vincent Landais, who were locked in a close battle with Evans and his co-driver Scott Martin with under 10 seconds separating the pair for most of the weekend.
Ogier took a lead of 6.5s into the final day, which was held in challenging wet conditions, and he led by 11.5s going into the final stage. In a thrilling finish, Ogier and Evans were separated by just 0.096s in the rally-ending Power Stage. Also topping the Super Sunday classification, Ogier therefore secured the maximum 35 points and closes to within three points of championship leader Evans with one rally remaining.
Kalle Rovanperä and his co-driver Jonne Halttunen also remain in contention, 24 points from the lead, in what is now an all-TGR fight for the drivers’ and co-drivers’ titles. They recovered to finish sixth overall after losing five minutes following contact with a barrier in Friday’s second stage and took third on Super Sunday and the Power Stage.
Pajari and co-driver Marko Salminen picked up third place after Sunday’s first stage caught out Hyundai driver Adrien Fourmaux. On his first time competing in Japan in Rally1 machinery, Pajari was rewarded for another solid and mature drive that exemplifies his rookie campaign.
Takamoto Katsuta was fully a part of the fight for victory with Ogier and Evans on his home rally until he picked up damage after hitting a barrier in SS11 on Saturday afternoon. Katsuta and co-driver Aaron Johnston returned to show stronger pace on Sunday, including a pair of stage wins in the Okazaki super special.
This year again, Endless exhibited at Toyota Stadium, where the service park is located, to support the team and help liven up Rally Japan.
The next Rally Saudi Arabia, a brand-new gravel event, joins the WRC as the final round of the season on November 26-29. The event will be based in Jeddah and take in a mix of mountains, volcano and desert terrain.
Please read the details on the team’s official web site: