Taka: Rain or Shine, I’m Ready

Katsuta heads to FORUM8 Rally Japan - the 13th and final round on the 2024 calendar - fired up after a strong showing last year, where he posted fastst times on 10 of the rally’s 22 special stages.

Heavy rain during Friday’s opening leg wreaked havoc at the WRC’s Asian leg in 2023, with Katsuta spinning off on SS3 - a costly setback that dashed his hopes of a win. This year, though, the 31-year-old is resolute in his approach, regardless of what the weather might bring.

“Last year we had kind of mixed conditions with rain at the beginning of the rally, but at the end of the week it was more of a mixture of dry and wet,” he said. “Still, the stage times were quite good compared to Thierry [Neuville, championship leader] and other drivers.

“Before the Central European Rally, I was quite nervous when I heard there was going to be rain. But in this moment, I am really happy even if it’s wet or dry – I really don’t mind and I will just try to do my best. My mental condition at the moment is quite good so hopefully it stays like this until the rally.”

Katsuta aims to apply a more methodical, “step-by-step” approach to this year’s event, which is based out of Toyota Stadium in Japan’s Aichi Prefecture and features 21 asphalt stages over four days.

“I really wanted to make [the win] happen last year, but unfortunately we couldn’t make it. This year we need to start step-by-step, a bit more steady, especially if it’s raining. Everything is possible, but this year I have made too many small mistakes and I was already out [of contention] in the beginning of the rallies.

“I think the most important thing is that, especially at the beginning of the rally, we try to see the situation and how everybody is going. A bit similar to Central European Rally, let’s say, but of course I need to take a bit more risk in the beginning and try to use my performance in some stages which I feel confident. There are a few new stages as well, so it will be challenging but I am still hoping that I can perform well like last year. I just need to avoid those kinds of mistakes like last year.”

Family Fortunes
Meanwhile, Katsuta’s father, Norihiko Katsuta (above), will make his debut in WRC2 - the championship’s premier support category. At 55, he’ll be tackling the event in a Rally2-specification Toyota GR Yaris.

“I am hoping he will do well too,” Katsuta said of his father. “He is a very experienced driver, so he doesn’t need my help. Of course, I am happy to help if he wants to have advice or anything, but I still believe that he can do well himself.

“For the last two [editions] I was sharing some information with him. On one stage, some kind of drain was open and it was quite dangerous. Straight away I sent a message to my father’s co-driver to make sure he did not hit that one. Of course, he is my father and I want to support him, but he also wants me to focus on my own job.”