# 2004 Rally Japan

The 2004 Rally Japan (formally the Rally Japan 2004) was the eleventh round of the 2004 World Rally Championship season. The race was held over three days between 3 September and 5 September 2004, and was based in Obihiro, Japan. Subaru's Petter Solberg won the race, his 8th win in the World Rally Championship.

## Background
### Entry list

| No. | Driver | Co-Driver | Entrant | Car | Tyre |
| World Rally Championship manufacturer entries ||||||
| 1 | Petter Solberg | Phil Mills | 555 Subaru World Rally Team | Subaru Impreza S10 WRC '04 | P |
| 2 | Mikko Hirvonen | Jarmo Lehtinen | 555 Subaru World Rally Team | Subaru Impreza S10 WRC '04 | P |
| 3 | Sébastien Loeb | Daniel Elena | Citroën Total WRT | Citroën Xsara WRC | M |
| 4 | Carlos Sainz | Marc Martí | Citroën Total WRT | Citroën Xsara WRC | M |
| 5 | Marcus Grönholm | Timo Rautiainen | Marlboro Peugeot Total | Peugeot 307 WRC | M |
| 6 | Harri Rovanperä | Risto Pietiläinen | Marlboro Peugeot Total | Peugeot 307 WRC | M |
| 7 | Markko Märtin | Michael Park | Ford Motor Co. Ltd. | Ford Focus RS WRC '04 | M |
| 8 | François Duval | Stéphane Prévot | Ford Motor Co. Ltd. | Ford Focus RS WRC '04 | M |
| World Rally Championship entries ||||||
| 11 | Antony Warmbold | Gemma Price | Antony Warmbold | Ford Focus RS WRC '02 | M |
| Source: ||||||

### Itinerary

All dates and times are JST (UTC+9).
| Date | Time | No. | Stage name | Distance |
| Leg 1 — 150.58 km |||||
| 3 September | 07:38 | SS1 | Yam Wakka 1 | 23.26 km |
| 3 September | 08:21 | SS2 | Kunneywa 1 | 21.56 km |
| 3 September | 08:48 | SS3 | Niueo 1 | 26.57 km |
| 3 September | 09:45 | SS4 | Rikubetsu 1 | 2.80 km |
| 3 September | 14:56 | SS5 | Yam Wakka 2 | 23.26 km |
| 3 September | 14:39 | SS6 | Kunneywa 2 | 21.56 km |
| 3 September | 16:06 | SS7 | Niueo 2 | 26.57 km |
| 3 September | 17:03 | SS8 | Rikubetsu 2 | 2.80 km |
| 3 September | 19:26 | SS9 | Satsunai 1 | 2.20 km |
| Leg 2 — 124.98 km |||||
| 4 September | 07:28 | SS10 | Pawse Kamuy 1 | 7.89 km |
| 4 September | 08:01 | SS11 | Nupri Pake 1 | 13.90 km |
| 4 September | 08:48 | SS12 | Rikubetsu 3 | 2.80 km |
| 4 September | 09:15 | SS13 | Kimun Kamuy 1 | 26.03 km |
| 4 September | 09:44 | SS14 | Cup Kamuy 1 | 10.77 km |
| 4 September | 14:30 | SS15 | Pawse Kamuy 2 | 7.89 km |
| 4 September | 15:03 | SS16 | Nupri Pake 2 | 13.90 km |
| 4 September | 15:50 | SS17 | Rikubetsu 4 | 2.80 km |
| 4 September | 16:17 | SS18 | Kimun Kamuy 2 | 26.03 km |
| 4 September | 16:46 | SS19 | Cup Kamuy 2 | 10.77 km |
| 4 September | 19:14 | SS20 | Satsunai 2 | 2.20 km |
| Leg 3 — 98.38 km |||||
| 5 September | 07:38 | SS21 | Rerakamuy 1 | 8.76 km |
| 5 September | 08:03 | SS22 | Panke Nikorpet 1 | 17.04 km |
| 5 September | 08:33 | SS23 | Penke 1 | 29.07 km |
| 5 September | 10:14 | SS24 | Satsunai 3 | 2.20 km |
| 5 September | 12:52 | SS25 | Rerakamuy 2 | 8.76 km |
| 5 September | 13:17 | SS26 | Panke Nikorpet 2 | 17.04 km |
| 5 September | 13:47 | SS27 | Penke 2 | 29.07 km |
| Source: |||||

## Results
### Overall

| Pos. | No. | Driver | Co-driver | Team | Car | Time | Difference | Points |
| 1 | 1 | Petter Solberg | Phil Mills | 555 Subaru World Rally Team | Subaru Impreza S10 WRC '04 | 3:43:50.6 | | 10 |
| 2 | 3 | Sébastien Loeb | Daniel Elena | Citroën Total WRT | Citroën Xsara WRC | 3:45:03.9 | +1:13.3 | 8 |
| 3 | 7 | Markko Märtin | Michael Park | Ford Motor Co. Ltd. | Ford Focus RS WRC '04 | 3:45:33.9 | +1:43.3 | 6 |
| 4 | 5 | Marcus Grönholm | Timo Rautiainen | Marlboro Peugeot Total | Peugeot 307 WRC | 3:46:08.5 | +2:17.9 | 5 |
| 5 | 4 | Carlos Sainz | Marc Martí | Citroën Total WRT | Citroën Xsara WRC | 3:46:21.6 | +2:31.0 | 4 |
| 6 | 6 | Harri Rovanperä | Risto Pietiläinen | Marlboro Peugeot Total | Peugeot 307 WRC | 3:51:16.8 | +7:26.2 | 3 |
| 7 | 2 | Mikko Hirvonen | Jarmo Lehtinen | 555 Subaru World Rally Team | Subaru Impreza S10 WRC '04 | 3:52:57.1 | +9:06.5 | 2 |
| 8 | 11 | Antony Warmbold | Gemma Price | Antony Warmbold | Ford Focus RS WRC '02 | 4:02:05.3 | +18:14.7 | 1 |

### World Rally Cars
#### Classification

| Position | Position | No. | Driver | Co-driver | Entrant | Car | Time | Difference | Points |
| Event | Class | No. | Driver | Co-driver | Entrant | Car | Time | Difference | Points |
| 1 | 1 | 1 | Petter Solberg | Phil Mills | 555 Subaru World Rally Team | Subaru Impreza S10 WRC '04 | 3:43:50.6 | | 10 |
| 2 | 2 | 3 | Sébastien Loeb | Daniel Elena | Citroën Total WRT | Citroën Xsara WRC | 3:45:03.9 | +1:13.3 | 8 |
| 3 | 3 | 7 | Markko Märtin | Michael Park | Ford Motor Co. Ltd. | Ford Focus RS WRC '04 | 3:45:33.9 | +1:43.3 | 6 |
| 4 | 4 | 5 | Marcus Grönholm | Timo Rautiainen | Marlboro Peugeot Total | Peugeot 307 WRC | 3:46:08.5 | +2:17.9 | 5 |
| 5 | 5 | 4 | Carlos Sainz | Marc Martí | Citroën Total WRT | Citroën Xsara WRC | 3:46:21.6 | +2:31.0 | 4 |
| 6 | 6 | 6 | Harri Rovanperä | Risto Pietiläinen | Marlboro Peugeot Total | Peugeot 307 WRC | 3:51:16.8 | +7:26.2 | 3 |
| 7 | 7 | 2 | Mikko Hirvonen | Jarmo Lehtinen | 555 Subaru World Rally Team | Subaru Impreza S10 WRC '04 | 3:52:57.1 | +9:06.5 | 2 |
| Retired SS22 | Retired SS22 | 8 | François Duval | Stéphane Prévot | Ford Motor Co. Ltd. | Ford Focus RS WRC '04 | Accident | Accident | 0 |

#### Special stages

| Day | Stage | Stage name | Length | Winner | Car | Time | Class leaders |
| Leg 1 (3 Sep) | SS1 | Yam Wakka 1 | 23.26 km | Petter Solberg | Subaru Impreza S10 WRC '04 | 15:03.5 | Petter Solberg |
| Leg 1 (3 Sep) | SS2 | Kunneywa 1 | 21.56 km | Petter Solberg | Subaru Impreza S10 WRC '04 | 12:11.5 | Petter Solberg |
| Leg 1 (3 Sep) | SS3 | Niueo 1 | 26.57 km | Sébastien Loeb | Citroën Xsara WRC | 15:28.3 | Petter Solberg |
| Leg 1 (3 Sep) | SS4 | Rikubetsu 1 | 2.80 km | Petter Solberg | Subaru Impreza S10 WRC '04 | 2:13.0 | Petter Solberg |
| Leg 1 (3 Sep) | SS5 | Yam Wakka 2 | 23.26 km | Sébastien Loeb | Citroën Xsara WRC | 14:46.6 | Petter Solberg |
| Leg 1 (3 Sep) | SS6 | Kunneywa 2 | 21.56 km | Sébastien Loeb | Citroën Xsara WRC | 11:54.0 | Petter Solberg |
| Leg 1 (3 Sep) | SS7 | Niueo 2 | 26.57 km | Sébastien Loeb | Citroën Xsara WRC | 14:57.0 | Petter Solberg |
| Leg 1 (3 Sep) | SS8 | Rikubetsu 2 | 2.80 km | Petter Solberg | Subaru Impreza S10 WRC '04 | 2:14.2 | Petter Solberg |
| Leg 1 (3 Sep) | SS9 | Satsunai 1 | 2.20 km | Carlos Sainz | Citroën Xsara WRC | 1:34.2 | Petter Solberg |
| Leg 2 (4 Sep) | SS10 | Pawse Kamuy 1 | 7.89 km | Petter Solberg | Subaru Impreza S10 WRC '04 | 4:12.4 | Petter Solberg |
| Leg 2 (4 Sep) | SS11 | Nupri Pake 1 | 13.90 km | Petter Solberg | Subaru Impreza S10 WRC '04 | 7:11.5 | Petter Solberg |
| Leg 2 (4 Sep) | SS12 | Rikubetsu 3 | 2.80 km | Petter Solberg | Subaru Impreza S10 WRC '04 | 2:10.5 | Petter Solberg |
| Leg 2 (4 Sep) | SS13 | Kimun Kamuy 1 | 26.03 km | Petter Solberg | Subaru Impreza S10 WRC '04 | 14:08.5 | Petter Solberg |
| Leg 2 (4 Sep) | SS14 | Cup Kamuy 1 | 10.77 km | Petter Solberg | Subaru Impreza S10 WRC '04 | 5:47.0 | Petter Solberg |
| Leg 2 (4 Sep) | SS15 | Pawse Kamuy 2 | 7.89 km | Marcus Grönholm | Peugeot 307 WRC | 4:04.4 | Petter Solberg |
| Leg 2 (4 Sep) | SS16 | Nupri Pake 2 | 13.90 km | Petter Solberg | Subaru Impreza S10 WRC '04 | 7:02.2 | Petter Solberg |
| Leg 2 (4 Sep) | SS17 | Rikubetsu 4 | 2.80 km | François Duval | Ford Focus RS WRC '04 | 2:12.2 | Petter Solberg |
| Leg 2 (4 Sep) | SS18 | Kimun Kamuy 2 | 26.03 km | Petter Solberg | Subaru Impreza S10 WRC '04 | 13:50.8 | Petter Solberg |
| Leg 2 (4 Sep) | SS19 | Cup Kamuy 2 | 10.77 km | Carlos Sainz | Citroën Xsara WRC | 5:37.4 | Petter Solberg |
| Leg 2 (4 Sep) | SS20 | Satsunai 2 | 2.20 km | Carlos Sainz | Citroën Xsara WRC | 1:34.1 | Petter Solberg |
| Leg 3 (5 Sep) | SS21 | Rerakamuy 1 | 8.76 km | Sébastien Loeb | Citroën Xsara WRC | 5:17.5 | Petter Solberg |
| Leg 3 (5 Sep) | SS22 | Panke Nikorpet 1 | 17.04 km | Sébastien Loeb | Citroën Xsara WRC | 9:38.3 | Petter Solberg |
| Leg 3 (5 Sep) | SS23 | Penke 1 | 29.07 km | Markko Märtin | Ford Focus RS WRC '04 | 17:13.4 | Petter Solberg |
| Leg 3 (5 Sep) | SS24 | Satsunai 3 | 2.20 km | Markko Märtin | Ford Focus RS WRC '04 | 1:32.4 | Petter Solberg |
| Leg 3 (5 Sep) | SS25 | Rerakamuy 2 | 8.76 km | Marcus Grönholm | Peugeot 307 WRC | 5:10.5 | Petter Solberg |
| Leg 3 (5 Sep) | SS26 | Panke Nikorpet 2 | 17.04 km | Marcus Grönholm | Peugeot 307 WRC | 9:31.0 | Petter Solberg |
| Leg 3 (5 Sep) | SS27 | Penke 2 | 29.07 km | Marcus Grönholm Markko Märtin | Peugeot 307 WRC Ford Focus RS WRC '04 | 16:43.4 | Petter Solberg |

#### Championship standings

| Pos. | Drivers' championships | Drivers' championships | Drivers' championships | Co-drivers' championships | Co-drivers' championships | Co-drivers' championships | Manufacturers' championships | Manufacturers' championships | Manufacturers' championships |
| Pos. | Move | Driver | Points | Move | Co-driver | Points | Move | Manufacturer | Points |
| 1 | | Sébastien Loeb | 84 | | Daniel Elena | 84 | | Citroën Total WRT | 137 |
| 2 | 2 | Petter Solberg | 54 | 2 | Phil Mills | 54 | | Ford Motor Co. Ltd. | 102 |
| 3 | 1 | Markko Märtin | 53 | 1 | Michael Park | 53 | | 555 Subaru World Rally Team | 79 |
| 4 | 1 | Carlos Sainz | 50 | 1 | Marc Martí | 50 | | Marlboro Peugeot Total | 73 |
| 5 | | Marcus Grönholm | 47 | | Timo Rautiainen | 47 | | Mitsubishi Motors | 17 |