Brand new stage, not as twisty as Friday’s tests. Adrien FOURMAUX wins the stage and takes Hyundai’s first fastest time of the event. Sébastien OGIER leads the rally by 8.9s. Elfyn EVANS takes second overall from Takamoto KATSUTA by 0.6s. Fourmaux extends advantage over Sami PAJARI to 1.9s in the fight for fourth. Thierry NEUVILLE suffers a broken driveshaft and is forced to crawl through the stage. The Belgian looks set to head back to service and into retirement.
Kalle ROVANPERÄ
“Quite tricky to be honest, especially in the beginning there are a lot of narrow sections. You need to have really good notes. There were also some fast parts which were nicer. For sure we will try to have a good pace, nothing crazy but of course we need to get back to the top 10 so that is the goal.”
Grégoire MUNSTER
“It is a tricky one, new stage so you don’t know exactly where to go. It was actually slower than I thought in a way that the corners are really sharp and if you come in just a tiny bit too much then you don’t have the right line for the other. The car felt better than yesterday so I could have done better.”
Thierry NEUVILLE
“Before the start [I noticed it] I don’t know [how it could happen]. I don’t know what to say, we will investigate. I will probably go back to service now. Done for the day? “Probably”.
Ott TÄNAK
“It is not great but at least we are driving. It was a very nice stage, high grip.”
Sami PAJARI
It was not as good as I was hoping for. Pretty much only interesting in the times that are coming after me. It was quite decent but not perfect. It is always interesting to do some new stages. I need to keep pushing. Of course that is what we are trying to do [get fourth back]. I’m trying to focus on my driving and make it good.”
Adrien FOURMAUX
“I just really wanted to have a push and see what could be the feeling. I was quite pleased with my pace notes and I was enjoying the stage. There is a lot of grip changes in that one and some tricky places, so many bumps. I need to be careful in some places. I just forget to complain about things and I just drive, I do with what I have got and I push.”
Elfyn EVANS
“In parts, yes [I had a good run] but it is very difficult with the new notes and it is very demanding so it is hard to be fully on it everywhere. Nothing major [in terms of changes to the car].”
Takamoto KATSUTA
“There was pollution on the road coming more than expected. The feeling is quite good but maybe not committed enough on the tricky polluted section.”
Sébastien OGIER
“It was quite tricky at the end, there were a lot of leaves I tried to be intelligent. There are much more leaves on the road than we have seen in recce but that is how it is when you start after a couple of cars.”
Oliver SOLBERG
“It was a tricky stage and very difficult. There was a lot of technical stuff and things happening all of the time. It was quite ok.
Alejandro CACHÓN
“It is a good start to be honest. I tried to take it easy, it is going to be a long loop. I was just trying to take no risk and manage the tyres. All the passion these Japanese people have is incredible.”
Nikolay GRYAZIN
“The same as yesterday. This is what we can do now. This is the maximum. Ilm trying to adapt the driving but it isn’t really working as I want it to.”
