Sebastien Loeb is in the running for his seventh consecutive World Rally
Championship (WRC) title at this weekend's Rally Japan, providing he
posts a win and his closest rivals finish outside of the top
seven.
The round 10 race of the series is being held in Sapporo, located on the
northerly island of Hokkaido.
Citroen pilot Loeb looks to drive for the title rather than gun for his
sixth win of the campaign, according to Pirelli senior WRC tire engineer
Matteo Braga.
Ford's Mikko Hirvonen will be a firm favorite to bag his ninth victory
at the world championship level using Pirelli tires, which are supplied
as standard to the WRC under a three-year sponsorship agreement.
"I want to finish the season as well as I can so for sure I will try
everything to win Rally Japan," says Hirvonen, who hails from Finland.
"The world championship title is not possible (for me) anymore, but with
four rallies to go there are two events where I really think I can
challenge for the victory, starting with Japan. While it is over for me
for the drivers' title, Ford can still win the manufacturers' title and
to do that getting wins is vitally important."
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Hirvonen has triumphed on the WRC's last two visits to Japan, taking
victory in 2007 and 2008. "It's a rally I really like," Hirvonen
observes. "It's similar to Finland, Great Britain and Australia in that
you have fast and flowing stages through forests. But it's so unique in
other ways because of the culture and the incredible history. Rallying
might not be known in the whole country, but the fans that come to the
event are so fanatical and enthusiastic. For drivers it makes it very
enjoyable and gives you a good feeling."
Rally Japan first joined the world championship in 2004 when Petter
Solberg swept to victory in a Subaru Impreza WRC using Pirelli tires.
Marcus Gronholm drove a Peugeot 307 WRC and made it two wins out of two
for Pirelli the following season before Hirvonen added a third victory
in 2008.
Pirelli will supply its soft compound Scorpion gravel tire to the 55
crews taking part in four-wheel drive vehicles. The compound is designed
to provide increased grip in cooler temperatures and in damp conditions,
which have been a factor in the event in the past.
Priority 1 and 2 drivers will receive an allowance of 30 Scorpion tires
plus six for the pre-event shakedown, while other crews in four-wheel
drive cars get 20 Scorpion tires for the rally and five for the
shakedown. The tires were transported by ship from Italy to Japan during
the summer.
"Rally Japan is not one of the most demanding on tires because the
surface is not abrasive like on some other gravel rallies," says Braga.
"Cold temperatures and rain are always a possibility in Japan, and with
rain you can get some mud, and it's possible some ruts can form," he
explains.
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"There can also be a problem of rocks being pulled onto the road for the
second pass," adds Braga, "which creates a risk of tire damage because
wheel rims can get broken, but it is not a big risk."
For more information, visit www.us.pirelli.com.
