Ogier successfully navigated a tricky opening 2.75km asphalt test held in darkness as Rally Japan returned to the WRC schedule for the first time since 2010.
The reverse pass through Thursday’s morning’s shakedown stage provided plenty of challenges, most notably the deep drainage gullies on either side of the twisty tarmac road.
Eight-time world champion Ogier emerged the quickest, alongside new co-driver Vincent Landais, as the pair edged Breen by 0.1s. Landais has joined Ogier for the season finale having co-driven for M-Sport’s Pierre-Louis Loubet in seven WRC events this year.
“It’s been an intense recce but so far Vincent is doing a good job,” said Ogier. “It was already a good test tonight and so far, so good. Tomorrow the real stuff is starting.”
The test was also the first competitive outing for Breen and his new co-driver James Fulton, who has taken over the role from the retiring Paul Nagle.
Breen was impressed by the ease in which his new navigator has coped with the step up from Rally2 to Rally1 machinery.
“He [James] wasn’t just dropped in at the deep end here, he was dropped in somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic,” said Breen.
Craig Breen, James Fulton, M-Sport Ford World Rally Team Ford Puma Rally1
Photo by: M-Sport
“He’s put in all the prep and he’s reaping the rewards now, so I just want him to enjoy it. It’s going to be a tricky weekend for everyone.”
Ott Tanak was third fastest to ensure all three Rally1 cars were represented in the top three. The 2019 world champion, competing in his final outing for Hyundai, was 0.2s shy of Ogier.
Tanak’s teammate Thierry Neuville, who shared the spoils in this morning’s shakedown with Toyota’s Elfyn Evans, completed the stage fourth fastest, 0.3s adrift.
Newly crowned world champion Kalle Rovanpera was a further three tenths shy in fifth, while teammate Evans was sixth, 1.2s in arrears.
Local hero Takamoto Katsuta will head into Friday’s action seventh ahead of M-Sport’s Gus Greensmith and Hyundai’s Dani Sordo.
WRC2 title contender Emil Lindholm and Sami Pajari set identical times to complete the top 10, while Lindholm’s championship rival Kajetan Kajetanowicz was 12th fastest. One-time Formula 1 race winner Heikki Kovalainen ended his maiden WRC stage sitting 14th overall.
Rally Japan continues on Friday with crews set to tackle six stages comprising 132.97 kilometres.
The stages will feature extremely narrow asphalt roads that have been tipped to be among the…
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