The 2023 World Rally Championship continues this weekend with the thirteenth and final round, Forum8 Rally Japan.
Championship Rundown
Andreas Mikkelsen clinched his second WRC2 championship last time out. Despite being tied with Gus Greensmith for the championship lead. How? Mikkelsen wins via countback. Mikkelsen also has one point scoring round left this season, which will be used this weekend. Greensmith ran out of events at the end of the Central European Rally. Yohan Rossel’s season is also over, with the Frenchmen ending the season 7 points behind Greensmith and Mikkelsen. Oliver Solberg’s season ended two events ago, he still sits 13 points behind Rossel. Sami Pajari’s season also ended two events ago, he sits 5 points behind Solberg.
Who Is Competing This Weekend?
Forum8 Rally Japan will have a short entry list for the WRC2 class. Andreas Mikkelsen, Nikolay Gryazin, Kajetan Kajetanowicz and last year’s winner Grégoire Munster will headline the class. Alongside other local drivers. The short entry list was expected, as Rally Japan is a bit more expensive than other events to compete in. Compared to European events which have nearly endless entry lists. The short entry list is also the result of the majority of drivers being out of point-scoring rounds. Nevertheless, there will still be competition this weekend, just a lot less than normal.
Back To WRC2
Grégoire Munster will drop back down to WRC2 after competing Rally Chile BioBio and the Central European Rally in a Rally1 car. Munster won Forum8 Rally Japan last season, and will look to do the same this weekend. This could also be Munster’s last event in a WRC2 car for the foreseeable future. As he has hinted at competing Rallye Monte-Carlo next season in a Rally1 car. Munster won’t have an easy time taking the win this weekend. As he will have to fend off WRC2 champion Andreas Mikkelsen, among others.