WRC Japan: why tyres matter

The World Rally Championship made a long-awaited return to Japan in 2022, and the challenge could hardly be more different to before. Instead of the northern island of Hokkaido, the event now takes place on the main island of Honshu, in the mountains of the Aichi and Gifu prefectures around the city of Toyota – home of the car manufacturer of the same name. And rather than gravel, the rally is held on asphalt.

The asphalt stages are unlike any others in the WRC: while there are some fast sections, many parts are narrow with constant twists and turns; many of the roads also run under trees. The surface varies a lot but can be quite abrasive while also being pretty slippery, especially when there are leaves or mud on the road.

The autumn weather was a significant factor too in the inaugural event: cold mornings were followed by surprisingly warm highs in the sunshine, but there was rain too.

All of this can make tyre selection tricky, but the Pirelli P Zero RA WRC hard compound tyres were a popular choice in 2022, providing both grip and reliability, and are the main choices again this time. A smaller allocation of soft compound tyres is also available for lower-grip conditions, as well as the Cinturato full wet.

The base for Rally Japan is at the Toyota Stadium, which is about 30 kilometres from the centre of Nagoya. Last year, the stadium – usually home to the Nagoya Grampus football team – held the start and finish ceremonies but will play an even bigger role this year as a venue for a super special stage to be run on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings.

The rest of the route is similar to 2022. Friday is by far the longest and most challenging day with 133.26 competitive kilometres to be tackled. Most of that is found across two loops of three long and twisting stages in mountainous terrain east of Toyota City. Isegami's Tunnel is the longest stage of the weekend at 23.67 kilometres and includes a 380 metre-long tunnel that is said to be haunted.

Saturday and Sunday both consist of 84 kilometres and will be driven without a mid-point service, with a tyre fitting zone instead. Six full-length stages on Sunday should leave plenty of intrigue for the final day of the season, including one last chance to grab bonus points in the rally-ending power stage.