Katsuta takes early lead after stadium super special
World Rally Championship leader Takamoto Katsuta has grabbed the early lead at Rally Islas Canarias after winning a hotly contested stadium super special stage. The 50th edition of the Spanish asphalt rally kicked off with an all-new fan friendly super special stage, held inside the 32,000 Gran Canaria football stadium, which saw crews go head-to-head across three […]
Why WRC Croatia victory was “quite special” for Takamoto Katsuta’s co-driver
Takamoto Katsuta’s World Rally Championship co-driver Aaron Johnston says it was “quite special” for an Irishman to win in Croatia on the third anniversary of Craig Breen’s passing. Former Citroen and Hyundai factory WRC driver Breen is always in the minds of the WRC service park when the championship heads to Croatia, as the much […]
Takamoto Katsuta wins after final stage drama for Thierry Neuville, Lancia takes first WRC2 victory
Takamoto Katsuta claimed victory in Croatia after a dramatic final stage that saw Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville throw away a likely first win of the 2026 World Rally Championship season. Neuville took a 1m15.4s lead into the final stage and was seemingly on course to end Toyota’s 100% winning start to the season. However, the Belgian […]
How Takamoto Katsuta’s maiden WRC win is impacting his mindset
Takamoto Katsuta revealed he feels ‘lighter’ and “more relaxed” now that the burden of trying to clinch a maiden World Rally Championship victory has been lifted. The Toyota driver will head into this week’s Croatian round of the 2026 campaign after he and co-driver Aaron Johnson secured a breakthrough victory at Safari Rally Kenya last […]
“Proud” Ott Tanak, Kalle Rovanpera lead praise of Takamoto Katsuta’s maiden WRC win
World rally champions Kalle Rovanpera and Ott Tanak led the plaudits for Takamoto Katsuta after the Japanese driver clinched an emotional maiden WRC win at Safari Rally Kenya. Katsuta and co-driver Aaron Johnston’s breakthrough triumph in what will be regarded as one of toughest rallies in recent WRC history is likely to be the overwhelming contender […]
Takamoto Katsuta breaks down in tears after long-awaited first WRC victory
Takamoto Katsuta has opened up on why scoring a breakthrough World Rally Championship at Safari Rally Kenya was such a “special feeling” that reduced him to tears of joy. The Japanese driver can finally call himself a WRC rally winner after he and Aaron Johnston emerged from a brutal Safari Rally Kenya standing on the […]
Katsuta loses fifth after dramatic final-stage Safari Rally roll
A dramatic final-stage roll has forced Takamoto Katsuta to retire from fifth position at Safari Rally Kenya after failing to reach the final time control. Katsuta appeared to be on course to finish a highly commendable fourth in Kenya before drama struck on the 21st and final stage of the event. Read Also: Pushing for […]
Katsuta expects “bigger challenge” in WRC 2025
Takamoto Katsuta’s biggest target for 2025 is to be more consistent with his results across a World Rally Championship campaign, which he expects will offer up a “bigger challenge”. The 31-year-old is gearing up for a sixth season with the factory Toyota squad, which will expand to four full-time entries next year. Two-time world champion […]
How Katsuta bounced back stronger after WRC benching
Takamoto Katsuta has explained why he was able to make a strong World Rally Championship comeback at the Central European Rally after being benched. The Japanese driver rejoined the Toyota squad for the penultimate round of the season last weekend following a shock decision by the team to bench its full-time driver for last […]