revealed he feels ‘lighter’ and “extra relaxed” now that the burden of attempting to clinch a maiden World Rally Championship victory has been lifted.
The Toyota driver will head into this week’s Croatian spherical of the 2026 marketing campaign after he and co-driver Aaron Johnson secured a breakthrough victory at Safari Rally Kenya final month.
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It got here on Katsuta’s 94th WRC begin and marked the primary success for a Japanese driver in rallying’s prime flight since Kenjiro Shinozuka in 1992.
The 33-year-old has had three weeks for the enormity of the achievement to sink in earlier than the WRC season kicks again into life with the primary true asphalt spherical of 2026 in Croatia.
Reflecting on the victory, Katsuta says he’s now feeling extra relaxed because the strain of attempting to clinch a maiden win has dissipated: “Clearly it was top-of-the-line reminiscences of my profession, the primary victory in Kenya, however it feels prefer it was already one yr in the past. It’s an extended, very long time in the past in my head.
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“I used to be in Japan and doing a little [PR] occasions and it was such a pleasant occasion as properly. However yeah, I’m totally targeted for the following rally in Croatia. I nearly forgot what occurred. However in fact it was one of many good reminiscences.
“I used to be by no means interested by if I had loopy strain or not, however now after Kenya, I really feel a little bit of a light-weight feeling. Let’s say, most likely, I had that form of strain, however it was fairly regular for me.
“I didn’t really feel that it was making [me] any worse or something. But it surely simply feels rather more relaxed and simpler to focus for the following one, and to consider the massive image, the entire weekend and the entire season.”
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Takamoto Katsuta, Aaron Johnston, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1
Takamoto Katsuta, Aaron Johnston, Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT Toyota GR Yaris Rally1
Katsuta’s triumph marked his finest begin to a WRC season, having collected 55 factors from the opening three rounds, leaving him third within the standings and 11 behind early chief .
The Japanese driver’s earlier finest tally after three rounds got here in 2024, when 30 factors left him tied for fourth. Nonetheless, ideas of a title push have been saved in examine for now.
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“I’m now solely interested by every rally and attempting my finest to get a very good outcome, as a lot as I can,” mentioned Katsuta. “The championship will come if I do properly on each single rally. I’m not interested by the championship an excessive amount of.”
Whereas eager to construct on this momentum, the Croatia go to is about to offer loads of new challenges for WRC crews with solely three levels retained from the earlier go to there in 2024.
Drivers will as soon as once more face the slender and bumpy asphalt roads synonymous with Croatia, though these levels will now be complemented by a number of clean tarmac roads, positioned close to to the rally’s new headquarters in Rijeka.
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“Croatia is without doubt one of the trickiest asphalt occasions as a result of even within the dry the grip adjustments loads, and in my check we had lots of rain and even some snow,” mentioned Katsuta. “With many new levels too, now we have to be prepared for surprises.”
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