The third stage of Rally Japan has been canceled due to Dani Sordo’s Hyundai catching fire on the previous test, but the final stage of Friday morning’s loop will go ahead.
Sordo suddenly stopped on the Isegami’s Tunnel test with “something burning” inside his i20 N Rally1, and it wasn’t long before the car was completely engulfed by flames.
That naturally led to SS2 being canceled for all crews behind Sordo, and caused significant delays to the rally itinerary as emergency services attended to Sordo’s blaze.
SS3 Inabu Dam has therefore been canceled, but Shitara Town R will go ahead – competitors instructed to get there via an alternate route in the roadbook.
First car on the road Kalle Rovanperä was due to start SS4 at 9.03am, but his new check-in time is 14 minutes later – 9.17am.
After a stage win on Isegami’s Tunnel, Rovanperä leads the rally by 1.5 seconds over Thierry Neuville with Elfyn Evans in third, another 4.6s back.
Sébastien Ogier led the rally after SS1 on Thursday but a puncture on Friday morning has put him 2m43.3s back.
