Motorsport: Armstrong and Byrne lead Irish charge in Japan

The Irish crew of Josh McErlean/Eoin Treacy changing a wheel of their M-Sport Ford Puma Rally1 during the FORUM8 Rally Japan, round seven of the World Rally Championship. Pic: Jaanus Ree / Red Bull Content Pool.

The M-Sport Ford crew of Jon Armstrong/Shane Byrne (Ford Puma Rally1) holds ninth place after the opening day of the FORUM8 Rally Japan, round seven of the World Rally Championship. 

The Toyota Gazoo Racing team have a lock-out of the top four places with championship leaders Elfyn Evans/Scott Martin holding a 15.7s advantage over team mates Oliver Solberg/Elliott Edmondson. 

The second Irish M-Sport crew - Josh McErlean/Eoin Treacy - also in a Ford Puma Rally1 are down in fifteenth spot after they were forced to stop and change a punctured wheel.

Solberg led on completion of the new Asuke opening stage where damp patches beneath the trees after overnight rain proved tricky. 

Then, Evans, running first on the road, set a strong time - 7.5s quicker than the rest - on Isegami’s Tunnel to move into the lead he held throughout the day. Indeed, he made most of his road position and went on to win two further stages. 

Second-placed Solberg lost time on SS3 when he had to slow to avoid a deer. 

Having lost some 17s to Evans on the second stage Sebastien Ogier worked hard to "find the sweet spot" of his Toyota and ended the day in third - 17.1s behind Evans as Sami Pajari completed the Toyota quartet.

Thierry Neuville (Hyundai i20 N Rally1), who struggled with the balance of the car in the dry conditions as opposed to the damp surfaces, lies in fifth position.

Home hero Takamoto Katsuta and his Fintona co-driver Aaron Johnston had a frustrating start - they clipped a bank on the first stage that punctured the left rear tyre of their Toyota GR Yaris Rally1, they were sixth overnight - a minute and 3.8s off the lead.

Meanwhile, Armstrong admitted he was "a bit too careful" in the damp sections of the opening stage as he added: "You have to trust the grip in those sections. We thought it would dry out, but it's not drying up as quick as we hoped for." 

Moving up two places to ninth and having some intercom issues, he held the spot for the remainder of the opening leg. 

McErlean was 10th for most of the morning as he struggled with his tyre selection. 

Around halfway through the day's penultimate stage, his Ford Puma Rally1 hit a stone and he had to stop and change the front left wheel.

FORUM8 Rally Japan (Round 7, World Rally Championship)Toyota Stadium: 1. E. Evans/S. Martin (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1)1h. 13m. 07.0s; 2. O. Solberg/E. Edmondson (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1)+15.7s; 3. S. Ogier/V. Landais (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1)+17.1s; 4. S. Pajari/M. Salminen (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1)+41.5s; 5. T. Neuville/M. Wydaeghe (Hyundai i20 N Rally1)+58.2s; 6. T. Katsuta/A. Johnston (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1)+1m. 03.8s; 7. A. Fourmaux/A. Coria (Hyundai i20 N Rally1)+1m. 16.3s; 8. H. Paddon/J. Kennard (Hyundai i20 N Rally1)+2m. 17.0s; 9. J. Armstrong/S. Byrne (Ford Puma Rally1)+2m. 40.9s; 10. A. Cachón/B. Rozada (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2)+3m. 26.6s; 15. J. McErlean/E. Treacy (Ford Puma Rally1)+5m. 03.3s.