rally japan

A consortium in Japan has announced its plans to bring back the World Rally Championship to the country for the first time since 2010 with initial targets as early as next year.

Francois Duval's co-driver Patrick Pivato is making 'steady progress' following the injuries his sustained on the opening day of the Rally Japan, Ford boss Malcolm Wilson has said.

SS23 - Sikot 1 (27.76km): Latvala fastest through a very wet and slippery SS23; Andersson second - despite overshooting a junction; Hirvonen third; Petter Solberg fourth; Gardemeister fifth - even though he had an off and went into a ditch; Wilson sixth; Henning Solberg retired; Rautenbach

SS20 - Sapporo 4 (1.49km): Sordo fastest in SS20; Gardemeister second; Latvala third; Loeb and Hirvonen joint fourth; Wilson sixth; Novikov heads the PWRC category; Hirvonen leads overall by 15.5 seconds at the end of day 2. Top ten stage times for SS20:

Francois Duval's co-driver Patrick Pivato will be operated on tonight after he suffered a fractured pelvis and fractured tibia in the accident in SS6 of the Rally Japan on Friday afternoon.

The organisers of the Rally Japan have had to cancel SS8, the repeat run through the 5.74 kilometre Pipaoi test. The decision was taken by the clerk of the course as a result of the delays caused after Francois Duval's accident.

Fumio Nutahara and Katsuhiko Taguchi will give the 'new' Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X its debut outing in the FIA World Rally Championship on the Rally Japan this week.

Petter Solberg has upped the pressure on himself and the Subaru World Rally Team ahead of the squad's home event in Japan next week by predicting that he could win there.

SS1 - Pawse Kamuy 1 (9.05 km): Atkinson quickest through SS1 to take early lead from Solberg and Gronholm. Hirvonen fourth from Rovanpera and Duval. Loeb only twelfth quickest. Nutahara leads PCWRC. Stage times and overall standings after SS1.

The organisers of the Rally Japan have announced the creation of a monster stage for this year's event, after combining the Kunneywa and Niueo tests, which were run separately in 2004.