Event Name: 2006 Rally Japan (Japan)
Date: September 1–3, 2006
Start Location: Obihiro, Hokkaido
Finish Location: Obihiro, Hokkaido
Total Distance: ~1,427.00 km
Competitive Stages: 350.18 km
Surface: Gravel (fast, smooth, flowing)
Returning to the smooth forest roads of Hokkaido, Rally Japan offered high speeds and technical sections with limited margin for error. Sébastien Loeb stayed in complete control throughout, claiming his eighth win of the 2006 season.
The event’s stages combined rapid forest sprints with tighter junctions that demanded perfect rhythm. Notable stages included:
The hard-packed gravel offered high grip compared to other gravel rallies, encouraging aggressive driving but punishing overconfidence.
Loeb built an early lead and managed it perfectly to the finish, with Grönholm unable to close the gap despite consistent pressure. Hirvonen continued his strong run with another podium for Ford.
Loeb’s win in Japan moved him closer to sealing his third consecutive WRC title, as his dominance in 2006 continued unabated.
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