WRC
Katsuta explains why Finland leaves no margin for error
Takamoto Katsuta believes Finland’s jumps, compressions and unforgiving roadside hazards explain why the high-speed classic so often produces more drama than the superficially similar Rally Estonia.
The Toyota Gazoo Racing driver endured a difficult Secto Rally Finland, with his weekend ending in a final-stage accident that dropped him from fifth to sixth overall.
Katsuta struck two trees after being forced away from the inside of a corner on the second pass through Himos–Jämsä, but was able to nurse his damaged GR Yaris Rally1 to the finish.
“I came into the corner and saw a block sticking out quite a long way on the inside,” he explained.
“I tried to avoid it slightly, but then I lost the line. There were a lot of roots there, so I completely lost the rear of the car.
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“I couldn’t slow down enough for the next corners because I was carrying too much speed. Unfortunately, I hit a tree on the outside with the right-hand side of the car, and then at the next right-hander I wasn’t able to turn and went straight into another tree.”
The impact caused extensive front-end damage, although Katsuta admitted the consequences could easily have been more severe.
“We were very lucky to finish the rally like that,” he said. “Thankfully, the damage was mainly to the intercooler at the front.
“If we had hit somewhere else or damaged the wheel, we could easily have lost a wheel completely. It could have been much worse, but at the same time it could also have been much better.”
The accident brought a frustrating conclusion to a weekend that had begun with high expectations following Katsuta’s runner-up finish in Finland one year earlier.
Instead, he struggled to find the required pace on Friday before a fogged-up windscreen further disrupted his progress. Saturday was then used to experiment with different set-up options, but the final day delivered another setback.
“We really wanted to win this rally,” Katsuta admitted. “But it started badly and then just became worse and worse.
“Overall, it was a really, really difficult weekend for me.”
Finland produced a high number of incidents across the Rally1 field, but Katsuta was not surprised by the level of attrition.
He pointed to the contrast with Estonia, where similarly high speeds rarely create the same degree of chaos among the leading crews.
“In Estonia, hardly anybody crashes, especially among the top-category drivers,” he said. “Then you come to Finland and everything goes crazy. There are lots of incidents, accidents and different things happening.
“We knew it was going to be like that, but at the same time you still have to commit enough. Otherwise, you won’t be fighting for anything.”
According to Katsuta, the greatest difference lies not in the outright speed but in the way Finland’s roads constantly load and unload the car.
“Finland has much more vertical movement,” he explained. “There are also many places where almost every corner has a ditch on the inside or outside, and there are more rocks sticking out than in Estonia.
“In Estonia, you also need a lot of commitment because the speeds are very high, but the ditches are generally less deep. If you go slightly off the line, you often still have enough space to recover.
“That is what makes Finland so difficult. It demands an incredible level of commitment and is one of the most challenging rallies. But that is also why I like it.”
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The weekend carried added significance as the final Secto Rally Finland appearance for the current generation of Rally1 machinery.
Despite his disappointment, Katsuta said the sensation of driving the cars on Finland’s flat-out roads remained one of the sport’s most powerful experiences.
“You feel so much emotion, adrenaline and excitement here,” he said. “I think the spectators feel the same from the outside when they see the cars and the speeds they are carrying.
“I hope the WRC can retain this kind of emotion. Looking further into the future, I hope we can bring it back somehow, with more manufacturers, more competition and this same level of emotion.”
Katsuta will now look to reset at Ueno Rally del Paraguay, where his improved road position could offer a small advantage.
While he accepts that some championship targets have moved further away, the fight behind leader Elfyn Evans remains tightly packed.
“Every single point matters now,” Katsuta said.
“Sami [Pajari] is very strong at the moment, so a big congratulations to him. It was a very bad weekend for me, but I am very proud of him and very happy for him.
“I am disappointed in myself and really gutted, but I am very happy for Sami, Marko [Salminen] and the team. That is one positive thing I can take from the weekend.”
