Date of announcement: Wednesday 17 July at Toyota Stadium
On Wednesday 17 July, the Rally Japan 2024 Executive Committee announced the outline of the FIA World Rally Championship FORUM8 Rally Japan 2024, which will be held from 21 (Thu) to 24 (Sun) November this year in Aichi and Gifu prefectures.
The announcement took place at Toyota Stadium, where the Rally Japan service park will be located, with Toshihiko Ota, Chairman of the Executive Committee, Takane Kosaka, Vice Chairman of the Executive Committee and guests including rally driver Toshihiro Arai and co-driver Madoka Umemoto taking to the stage at 11am.
Chairman Ota said: “This year’s Rally Japan, the third year of the event, will feature three additional challenging Special Stages (SS) and 15 spectator areas. In addition, the Super SS at Toyota Stadium, which has been held since last year, will continue to use the duel format. The theme “ENJOY RALLY JAPAN” will remain unchanged. In order to ensure that as many spectators as possible can enjoy the event, we have reduced the price of first-floor seats at Toyota Stadium to a starting price of 9,000 yen.”
Vice Chairman Kosaka explained about the new SSs, saying, “Mt. Kasagi SS in Ena City is a course that leads to a mountain stage centred on Mt. Kasagi Motor Park, which is a gymkhana. The Lake Mikawako SS is also a new course, reversing the route taken last year and adding a new route. It will see rally cars driving with the Kumano Shrine in the background. This Lake Mikawako SS will also be the power stage. The Shinshiro SS is a newly routed course. These three locations will be the new competition sections, but the Okazaki SSS will also be a night stage with a new layout, so the atmosphere will be very different from last year’s event.”
This was followed by an explanation of the spectator tickets and hospitality programme, and the introduction of the key visuals, which were unveiled for the first time today. The theme is ‘Excitement from Japan to the World’. As a new initiative, a project to invite children aged three to junior high school free of charge was also introduced. The first 10,000 children will be invited to Toyota Stadium SSS and 1,000 to Okazaki SSS. However, children are not allowed to enter the stadium alone and must be accompanied by an adult with a paid ticket. Other entertainment programmes include a demonstration flight of the Air Self-Defence Force’s Blue Impulse over Toyota Stadium, freestyle motocross and live performances by artists.
A talk show with guest driver Toshihiro Arai and co-driver Madoka Umemoto, led by presenter Pierre Kitagawa, explained the vehicle regulations and course features of Rally Japan. Arai said, “I have had to retire from Rally Japan twice before, and I got the impression that it is a very tough rally because of the rain, falling leaves, slippery conditions and snow.” Umemoto added: “The co-driver’s job is not only to guide the driver with pace notes, but also to manage the time to each time control, manage fuel consumption and, in some cases, change tyres together with the driver, so there’s a lot to do. But hearing about the new stages, I’m really looking forward to it.”
Announcers from five TV stations in the Tokai region took to the stage to introduce the cheering uniforms, free invitations for children, entertainment contents, Rally Japan merchandise and a PR message for the World Gourmet corner, bringing the presentation to a close.
| ◆FIA World Rally Championship FORUM8 Rally Japan 2024 – Event Outline |
– Event name FIA World Rally Championship FORUM8 Rally Japan 2024
– Organisers Toyota Motorsports Club / NPO M.O.S.C.O. / Toyota City
– Organising Body Rally Japan 2024 Commision,
Toyota City, Ena City, Toyota Motorsports Club, M.O.S.C.O.,
Toyota Machizukuri Corporation)
– Dates Thursday 21 – Sunday 24 November 2024
– Venue Toyota City, Okazaki City, Shinshiro City, Shitara Town, Ena City, Nakatsugawa City
– Service Park: Toyota Stadium (Sengoku-cho, Toyota City)
– Ticket sales General sales start on 24 August (Sat), 2024.
※For more information on ticket sales, please contact Ticket Pia at: https://w.pia.jp/t/wrc-rj2024/
– Official website Rally Japan (rally-japan.jp)
| Enquiries about this matter (press) Rally Japan 2024 Commission Media Office : media-rj@rally-japan.jp |
