2026 World Rally Championship Round 7 'Japan Rally' kicks off on the 29th

*This content was translated by AI.

The 7th round of the '2026 World Rally Championship (WRC)', organized by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), 'Japan Rally', will be held from May 28 to 31 in Aichi and Gifu prefectures, Japan. This rally will proceed as a 20-stage special stage (SS) tarmac rally with a total length of 302.82 km, centered on Toyota City, where the headquarters of the car brand Toyota is located.

The course consists of mountain asphalt roads with steep cliffs, guardrails, and dense vegetation nearby, classifying it as a technical event among WRC circuits. Due to its continuous corner structure with almost no straight sections and narrow road widths, precise vehicle control and maintaining the racing line are required. Additionally, environmental factors such as mountain fog, localized rainfall, and fluctuating road surface temperatures and humidity significantly affect tire grip, handling, and drainage performance during the competition.

Looking at the standings, Elfyn Evans of the Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally Team leads with 123 points following the previous Portugal Rally results, while his teammate Takamoto Katsuta trails in second place with 111 points. Katsuta secured his first victory of the season at the Kenya Rally, and considering that the Japan Rally is a home event for the Toyota team, there is a possibility of ranking changes based on the race results. With a narrow points gap between manufacturers and drivers, this 7th round will serve as a decisive factor in determining the overall standings for the first half of the season. The event is exclusively supplied with racing tires by Hankook Tire & Technology.

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*This content was translated by AI.