SLIPPERY ROADS OF RALLY JAPAN TO DECIDE THE OUTCOME OF THE 2024 SEASON

The final rally will see the world champion driver and constructor crowned, along with the winner in WRC2 in a challenging and uncertain contest
The P Zero Hard is the prime. Also available, the P Zero Soft and the wet weather Cinturato in case of rain
Testoni: “The recce is vital, the slightest error of judgement can really cost you dear”

Always closely contested and unpredictable, Rally Japan once again brings the WRC season to a close and already one thing is certain: whether it will be for the favourites, Thierry Neuville and Hyundai or whether their closest rivals, Ott Tanak, Elfyn Evans and Toyota respectively, come the end of the rally, there will be celebrations for the 2024 drivers’ and constructors’ world champions, as well as for the winner of the WRC2 championship, which will be decided by Sam Pajari, taking part in Japan, or Oliver Solberg, who having already taken part in the maximum number of events, can only wait and keep his fingers crossed. Whatever the outcome, as always on this event, the weather along with the twisty, slippery roads around Nagoya will have the last word.

THE CHALLENGE
The surfaces of the 21 special stages, including two in the Toyota Stadium, held in the prefectures of Gifu and Aichi are generally demanding, especially in the early hours of the morning and in the mountain sections where the grip, already not great because of the condition of the asphalt, often becomes very poor. Drivers must not underestimate the risks associated with the grooves that bring dirt, stones and leaves onto the surface. A close eye must be kept on the weather, which is often unpredictable, with a constant threat of rain and even snow, which last year unexpectedly dusted some of the special stages in the mountains.

PIRELLI QUOTE
Terenzio Testoni, Pirelli Rally Activity Manager: “An exciting season is coming to an end and it will be fought out to the last kilometre, in a rally that is always hard to read, in which clean driving and the ability to manage pressure will count for a lot. There are several possible tyre strategies and the drivers know, that in both dry and wet conditions, they can count on reliable and versatile products which we have evolved continuously over time to ensure the maximum in terms of consistency and performance. To the drivers I say pay close attention during the recce, as the slightest error of judgement can really cost you dear.”

THE PIRELLI TYRES IN JAPAN
P Zero RA WRC: Pirelli’s asphalt tyre developed for the blue riband category is available in two compounds, both of them 2024 evolutions, more robust than their predecessors and which made their debut on the Central European Rally back in October. In Japan, the prime choice will be the hard compound (P Zero RA WRC HB), best suited to tackling the most abrasive surfaces and the longer stages, having also proved its reliability on asphalt that is not completely dry. The Soft compound version (P Zero RA WRC SB) is the option, best suited to more slippery surfaces or when the roads are damp from rain or night frost.
P Zero RA: this is the product range for Rally2 and Rally3 cars. In this case also, the prime is the hard compound RA5A, while the soft compound RA7+ is the option. The P Zero RA tyres share many of the characteristics of those fitted to the senior WRC category cars.
Cinturato RW: All four-wheel drive categories have a rain tyre available, suitable for wet or very damp asphalt. The Cinturato WRC RWB was developed specifically for Rally1 cars. The RWC is for Rally2 cars, while the Cinturato RW1C is available for Rally3 cars.

The regulations state that the Rally1 cars can use up to a total of 28 tyres over the course of the whole rally. The allocation is for 28 of the prime P Zero RA WRC HB, 18 of the option P Zero RA WRC SB and 12 of the Cinturato RWB wet tyre. The WRC2 and WRC3 cars can use a total of 26 tyres and in this case, the allocation consists of 26 prime tyres, 18 option and 12 wet.