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Kovalainen scores back-to-back All-Japan Rally titles
Ex-Formula 1 racer Heikki Kovalainen clinched his second consecutive All-Japan Rally title with a third-place finish on last weekend's penultimate round of the season in Hokkaido.
Jamie Klein
Edited: Sep 11, 2023, 8:20 AM
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Kovalainen had won four of the previous five rounds of the championship heading to Rally Hokkaido as he aimed to defend his 2022 title alongside co-driver Sae Kitagawa in his Team Aicello Skoda Fabia R5.
In the end, third place in the gravel-based event behind the Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 Concept cars of ex-WRC driver Jari-Matti Latvala and Norihiko Katsuta was enough to guarantee the top class JN-1 crown with a round to spare.
"It was the plan for the weekend to try and wrap up the title, which worked well," said Kovalainen. "But to be honest I was a bit disappointed that we didn't have better pace on gravel compared to the two Toyotas.
"There's still a lot of work to do on gravel events, it's mainly my driving that is too neat and tidy on gravel and I need to get my head around to slide the car more. It's also more difficult with the pace notes on gravel as the grip keeps changing so to judge the speed correctly is harder than on tarmac.
"But I'm happy about the title, we're against a big team and to be able to beat them again is a great achievement from Rally Team Aicello crew."
Kovalainen has combined his title defence in Japan with a campaign in the Finnish championship with a brand-new Fabia RS Rally2, with a clash between the two programmes forcing him to miss the opening round of the former series, the Rally of Tsumagoi, back in February.
The 41-year-old has one event left on his schedule in Finland, where his best finish of the year has been sixth, as well as one in Japan, the Rally Highland Masters that closes out the season in October.
He then plans to tackle the Japanese round of the World Rally Championship in November, following his series debut in the same event last year.
"In Hokkaido this weekend I had probably my best stages so far on gravel considering the older car we have here [in Japan], so there are some positives to be taken from this weekend at least.
"It's confirming to me that it's no longer possible to become world champion in my lifetime, although there's no reason not to try and still improve my skills.
"I have lots of motivation to work on it so hopefully I can continue again next year at least here in Japan, and with a new car hopefully."
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