Podium for Fulton in Japan
FORUM8 Rally Japan 2026 was round seven of the FIA World Rally Championship and took place from 28–31 May across the Aichi and Gifu prefectures, with the service park based at Toyota Stadium in Toyota City.
A long-established fixture that first appeared on the WRC calendar in 2004, Rally Japan returned to the championship in 2022 as a pure asphalt event and has since become known for its narrow, technical mountain roads, constantly changing grip and unforgiving roadside barriers.
The 2026 edition also introduced new tests including the Asuke stage and the Fujioka Super Special Stage, adding fresh challenges to one of the most precise and demanding tarmac rallies of the season.
Kesh driver Jon Armstrong finished eighth overall on Rally Japan after a steady weekend on the demanding asphalt event. After tyre and setup issues early on, he improved as the rally progressed and ended with valuable points.
Armstrong said: "We were a bit away from the pace we wanted, but we got points on the board and, most importantly, had a clean rally."
Kilrea’s Josh McErlean placed 10th after a difficult rally marked by a puncture, a handbrake issue and setup struggles. Despite the setbacks, he completed the event and gained more experience on the Japanese stages.
McErlean said: "It was a tricky weekend, but it was special to compete here and finish 10th. There are positives to take into the gravel events ahead."
Fintona navigator Aaron Johnston narrowly missed out on a podium finish at Rally Japan, guiding home favourite Takamoto Katsuta to fourth overall on his home event. After claiming two wins already this season, the pairing arrived in Japan with hopes of another top-three result, but ultimately had to settle just outside the podium places.
Katsuta said: “It’s great that we could achieve a 1-2-3-4 finish for the team in Japan. I’m not satisfied with my personal result, but it was good that we could come back stronger. Today I felt able to push more, we had good pace, and we were able to take plenty of points at the end. A huge thank you to everyone in the team for preparing this car, which feels incredible on asphalt, and a special thank you to all the Japanese fans who have been supporting us. I’m sorry that I could not finish on the podium this time, but next year I will try again to get the victory for you.”
Japanese driver Yuki Yamamoto secured the first WRC2 podium finish of his career at his home event, Rally Japan, with Cavan co-driver James Fulton alongside him on the pace notes.
The result marked a breakthrough performance for Yamamoto, who said the achievement was especially meaningful on home soil in front of local supporters.
He said: “To achieve my first podium in WRC2 here on my home event at Rally Japan is really special. A huge thank you to the team and all the Japanese fans who have been cheering for us all weekend; it really gave me extra energy and I’m just so happy right now.”
Yamamoto revealed that a podium had been his target from the outset, although difficult conditions on Friday morning initially cost the crew time. He added that they were able to recover strongly and maintain a consistent pace throughout the remainder of the event.
He said: “My confidence is higher now for the coming events and I hope to achieve something similar to this or even better in the near future.”
Bangor co-driver Allan Harryman looked set for a class podium finish alongside Greek driver George Vasilakis on Rally Japan, only for their hopes to be dashed on the final day when damage to their Ford Fiesta forced them out of contention. The pair had been running strongly in the class and were on course for a notable result before their rally came to a premature end.