Friday in South America turned into a brutal battleground. Several top-class crews were forced to retire, and punctures struck on almost every special stage. Even Juha Kankkunen, a rally legend who has seen it all, admitted he could not recall a day this chaotic.
For Toyota, the day started badly. Sebastien Ogier and Takamoto Katsuta fell by the wayside after trouble on the morning's opening stage. Yet the team still found itself in a commanding position. Sami Pajari led the rally, while Elfyn Evans sat third.
"It really has been an extraordinary day. Everyone else had punctures, but Sami didn't. He was lucky not to get one, but then a water hose came loose and he had to slow down because of that," Kankkunen said with surprise. "Everyone has had all sorts of problems. I can't remember a day like this. The leader changed on every stage. That's just the kind of day it has been."
According to Kankkunen, Toyota will have all its drivers back out on Saturday, although Katsuta's crash left the team with a major repair job. "Taka's car required quite a lot of work, but it's almost ready, while Seb's was just the left-front corner. There have been an unusually high number of retirements. Neuville retired in the Hyundai, and there have been all sorts of incidents. I can't remember there ever being this many, but all our cars will definitely be ready tomorrow," he assured.
The situation is unlikely to get easier over Saturday and Sunday, as the weather is set to deteriorate. "Rain is forecast for tomorrow and a huge amount for Sunday. We're already fitting snorkels to our cars so that we don't end up going diving," Kankkunen said with a laugh. "There could be so much water that we need the snorkel. It offers some protection to the engine and air filters by drawing in air from the roof, as in Kenya."
The drama in South America has clearly reshaped the championship picture. With Ogier and Katsuta out of Friday's fight, Toyota's hopes now rest on Pajari and Evans. Meanwhile, rivals like Hyundai also lost Neuville, leaving the title race wide open. A wet and unpredictable weekend still lies ahead.
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