Daiki Arai leads Rally Hokkaido after dominant first day

Daiki Arai has taken a commanding lead on the first day of the sixth round of the All Japan Rally Championship, Rally Hokkaido. Driving a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 in the JN-1 class, Arai secured seven consecutive best times from Special Stage 2 through Special Stage 8.

By the end of the day, Arai held a 43.8-second lead over second-place Takuma Kamata, who is driving a Skoda Fabia R5. Haruo Nudahara followed in third place, 50 seconds behind the leader. The rally, held on gravel stages in the Tokachi region of Hokkaido, faced unpredictable conditions due to recent rainfall, resulting in a mix of drying and muddy surfaces.

The event commenced with a ceremonial start and rally show in Obihiro, marking the fifth consecutive year the public demonstration has been held. The first day consisted of eight special stages totaling 89.28 km, including the challenging 23.49 km Yam Wakka stage.