In December 2007, Rally Japan organisers announced that for the 2008 WRC season the event will move from Obihiro to Sapporo, the biggest city in Hokkaidō. The 2008 Rally Japan featured 29 stages, including five super specials at the Sapporo Dome. The event saw Hirvonen take his second win in Japan in a row, ahead of his team-mate Jari-Matti Latvala and Citroën Total's Sébastien Loeb, who secured a record fifth title with his third place finish. The rally also featured a bad crash by François Duval, which left his co-driver Patrick Pivato in a critical condition.