That Saturday afternoon still haunts Takamoto Katsuta. Next week, he has the opportunity to put things right.
Standing chatting to the Japanese among the fairground rides in Enakyo Park, he was positive, upbeat and five seconds away from retaking the lead of his home round of the World Rally Championship. An hour or so later, he’d clattered the barriers on the second run through Mount Kasagi and he was watching his co-driver Aaron Johnston sucking oil out of the Toyota GR Yaris Rally1’s engine in an effort to lubricate the power steering.
“Last year,” he told DirtFish, “I made a big disappointment for the Japanese fans, so I try, I really try, to do my best to take a good result. Of course, I want to win my home rally – but there are so many crazy drivers in the team and we are competing against many great drivers.”
Since a maiden visit to the Rally Japan podium in 2022, Katsuta hasn’t finished in the top three again in Aichi. This time, however, he arrives back in his homeland as a double world rally winner following his back-to-back successes in Kenya and Croatia.
“Of course,” he added, “I’m looking forward to going there – but it’s a new season and it can be a new rally, something different. The atmosphere will be the same with many people interested in the rally and following us, but when we are coming to the time of the year where it can be normally quite warm, very warm. When we ran in November, in the autumn, we were having the leaves coming down and this was difficult for the grip – the grip should be better this time.
It will be hotter – but will it be drier? Possibly not, Katsuta has warned
“But, if we are having a very bad rainy season at the beginning of June and it comes early, it can be a disaster. If the rain’s not coming, it’s very nice weather it’ll be warm you can come and enjoy the food and nice people!”
Toyota team principal Jari-Matti Latvala predicted plenty of fans arriving in Aichi for the week ahead.
“We’ve seen the rally growing in popularity every year,” he said, “and I’m sure we will see even more support this year after Takamoto’s wins earlier this season, which will also make it easier for him to go to his home rally and challenge for that victory that he really wants. Of course, Taka’s team-mates have also all been strong on asphalt recently, and they too will want to win.”
Sébastien Ogier is making the trip, along with Toyota regulars including championship leader Elfyn Evans, Oliver Solberg and Sami Pajari.
