42-year old Japanese Skoda Fabia R5 driver, Yuya Sumiyama (pictured), clinched the FIA 2018 Asia Pacific Rally Championship title when he won the penultimate round of the series, Hokkaido Rally.
The former national dirt trial champion, driving for the Cusco team, finished nearly 10 minutes in front of the Mitsubishi of Eiichi Iwashita, with Yasushi Aoyama’s Subaru third.
Italian driver Fabio Frisiero was fourth in a Peugeot 208 AP4.
Sumiyama’s teammate, Mike Young, had a fraught event in the prototype turbocharged Toyota Vitz, going off the road on day 1 with rear suspension failure, then on Day 2 the rear suspension failed again.
Sumiyama’s only trouble came when he lost turbo boost pressure.
The final APRC round is the China Rally in five weeks’ time.
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