With five wins in the six events prior in their Team Aicello Skoda Fabia, Kovalainen and his co-driver Sae Kitagawa went into last weekend's Rally Hokkaido almost guaranteed of the crown in their first year of competing in the JRC's top JN-1 class for four-wheel drive cars.
Despite finishing only ninth while his nearest title rival Norihiko Katsuta won the rally, Kovalainen was handed the crown by default as it transpired that next month's final round of the season, Rally Highland Masters, will not offer enough points to allow the Finnish driver to be caught.
