KATSUTA WARNS OF TOUGH CHALLENGE AHEAD IN JAPAN
Low grip, cold temperatures and narrow roads will combine to test WRC crews to the limit
Takamoto Katsuta reckons he and his World championship rivals will need to be on their guard when Japan hosts the season finale from today (Thursday).
Co-driven by Irishman Aaron Johnston, the local hero is from the Aichi prefecture in Japan, which is hosting the WRC for the first time. He took part on the candidate event in 2019, which covered terrain similar to what’s in store for the WRC crews this week.
That experience plus Katsuta’s knowledge of the region’s roads and likely weather conditions means the Toyota driver will be well-equipped for the all-Tarmac round.
“The rally will be very different than the European Tarmac rallies,” said the 29-year-old. “Most of the stages will be very, very narrow and twisty and quite low speed. There will be some wide roads, but most sections will be very technical with tight corners like we have never seen before. It could be the slowest rally in terms of the average speed. For sure it will not be easy because the cars are big and heavy, and it would be much easier in a smaller and lighter car on those stages, which are only one car wide in places. At least there should not be so much corner cutting.”
Katsuta also highlighted the challenge posed by the weather and suggested tyre strategy would be a big factor in the battle for victory.
“Of course, in the mountains, the weather is changing a lot so it’s going to be tricky and the temperature is also going to be quite low. Most of the mountain roads in Japan are in very deep forest areas so you don’t get much sun, and this will be affecting the grip level. The tyre choice will also be tricky.”
With Japan absent from the WRC for 12 years, Katsuta, like the factory Toyota team, has never competed in the World championship on home soil before although his father, Norihiko, started Rally Japan five times when it used all-gravel stages on Hokkaido island to the north. The 53-year-old is also contesting this week’s Rally Japan in a nationalspecification Toyota Yaris.