Entry List: FORUM8 Rally Japan

Released today (Monday, 28 October), the entry list for round 13 boasts the return of 1994 world champion Didier Auriol, making his first WRC start since 2005. The French rally legend will have seasoned co-driver Denis Giraudet by his side, and together they’ll pilot a Toyota GR Yaris in the event’s national category. Auriol’s name is etched in WRC history with his 1994 title in a Toyota Celica Turbo, and he now brings that legacy full circle back to Toyota’s homeland.

While Auriol’s title days may be behind him, the battle for this year’s championship crown is in full swing. Hyundai Motorsport team-mates Thierry Neuville and Ott Tänak will go head-to-head for the ultimate prize on Japan’s asphalt roads, with just 25 points separating them.

Hyundai also has its eye on the manufacturers’ championship, where it holds a slim 15-point lead over Toyota. Andreas Mikkelsen will join the line-up in Hyundai’s third i20 N Rally1 HYBRID, while Toyota fields a robust trio for its home rally, including eight-time champion Sébastien Ogier, Elfyn Evans, and Japan’s own Takamoto Katsuta. Katsuta, who set 10 fastest times here last year, is eager for a breakthrough victory on home soil.

M-Sport Ford brings two Puma Rally1 HYBRIDs to the mix, with Adrien Fourmaux and Grégoire Munster at the wheel. Fourmaux has already enjoyed a strong season with four podiums and will aim to finish the year on a high.

In WRC2 there are 17 entries, headlined by Flying Finn Sami Pajari and co-driver Enni Mälkönen. Pajari must secure a second-place finish or higher to claim the title; otherwise, Sweden’s Oliver Solberg - already maxed out on the seven permitted rounds and therefore sitting this one out — will take the spoils.

Other key contenders in WRC2 include Gus Greensmith, Nikolay Gryazin, former F1 driver Heikki Kovalainen and freshly crowned British Rally Champion Chris Ingram.