Treacherous conditions greeted the crews in Isegami’s Tunnel 1 with heavy rainfall and lingering leaves resulting in grip levels akin to an ice rink.
Having set a storming pace through the early sectors, Takamoto Katsuta was the first driver to come unstuck at the right-hand bend 11.8km after the start. The Japanese star spun his Toyota GR Yaris and the resulting impact caused radiator damage, forcing him to complete the stage in EV mode.
But worse was to come shortly afterwards when Spain’s Dani Sordo arrived at the same location. The Spaniard was not so fortunate, sliding his Hyundai i20 N down an embankment and brushing a number of trees in the process.
M-Sport Ford Puma youngster Adrien Fourmaux, making his first top-level start in more than a year, went off the road in the same place. All crews involved were unharmed but the stage was red-flagged as a result.
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