The Japan Rally or “Rally Japan” is one of the FIA World Rally Championship’s (WRC) most popular races. It is usually held in the Fall and is raced on twisty and narrow gravel roads.
It returns to the WRC race calendar for 2022 after a 12-year hiatus. As one of the WRC’s most prominent races, the WRC betting odds should be widely available for this rally competition.
Rally Japan typically has 26 to 29 stages and is raced on gravel. In 2007, it had 27 special stages. In 2008, it had 29. This race tends to occur late in the calendar so the WRC standings could already be decided.
The overall distance varies. But in 2010, it was 748.8 miles (1,205.07 kilometers). During the September to December months, Hokkaido gets pretty cold. There are plenty of rainy days during November and December.
FORUM8 Rally Japan - Stages
Location: TBD
Distance: TBD
The Japan Rally originated as Rally Hokkaido as part of the 2022 Asia-Pacific Rally Championship. After two years, it was promoted to the World Rally Championship schedule. Petter Solberg and Phil Mills won the inaugural Rally Japan in 2004 while driving a Subaru Impreza.
In 2007 and 2008, Mikko Hirvonen and Jarom Lehtinen became the first co-drivers to win Rally Japan multiple times. They drove a Ford Focus. And in 2010, Sebastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia won the last Rally Japan, before 2022, with a Citroen C4.
As with most Rally Car events, it is best to check the forecast before betting on the races.
Weather plays a large role in racing but unlike in Formula One or Indy Car, the WRC also features different surfaces. Rally Japan features a gravel surface so drivers like Kalle Rovanpera should excel here.