Juha Kankkunen, rally legend and key figure behind Toyota's World Rally Championship (WRC) success, made a sharp-witted joke about the incident that befell Takamoto Katsuta on the first day of Rally Chile. Katsuta's crash on the opening stage was the only blemish on Toyota's dominance, as the team secured a one-two lead with Oliver Solberg and Elfyn Evans.
"We were very lucky that it rained last night. That saved us," Kankkunen told RallyJournal.com, referring to the road conditions that did not have much loose gravel, sparing the leading Toyota drivers from excessive sweeping. "But anyway, the boys did a good job. They were driving very well," he added.
Nevertheless, Kankkunen admitted that Katsuta's crash was a setback. The Japanese driver has made several mistakes in recent rallies, and that trend continued in Chile. "It was unfortunate. But the car is not damaged at all – we'll just clean it and fix a few small things. He will continue on Saturday," Kankkunen confirmed.
In the standings, Evans, who is second in the rally, and fifth-placed Pajari are the leading contenders for this year's title. Evans came out on top against Pajari on Friday, while the Finn endured a mixed day. "In the morning, he didn't want to take any risks. He wasn't sure whether the car was too soft or the road was just slippery. Then he found out that the car was too soft and there could be grip in the road. But that was a better approach than 'Taka's'," Kankkunen quipped.
Kankkunen stressed that the team will not give any special instructions to its drivers for the six stages on Saturday. "The plan is just to let the boys drive and we'll see how it goes. They are one behind the other, except Fourmaux is there mixing it up a little bit," he said.
"But anyway, we are in a good place and our drivers are on for good points. We need a few more points to secure the manufacturers' title. At the moment, everything looks good," Kankkunen emphasized.
With Toyota's solid performance in Chile, the Japanese manufacturer is edging closer to the constructors' title. However, challenges from Hyundai and rival drivers like Adrien Fourmaux still loom. Rally Chile has six more stages on Saturday that will determine the winner.
Read Also
Takamoto Katsuta suffers multiple crashes in WRC, from Paraguay to Chile. Read about the incidents, causes, and his determination to bounce back.
Horrific crash strikes Alejandro Cachon and Borja Rozada on SS6 of Rally Chile 2026. Both escaped serious injury but were airlifted to hospital. Similar incidents also hit Yuki Yamamoto and Kerem Kazaz.
Sami Pajari frustrated by subdued morning at Rally Chile, but rebounds to claim first stage win. Read the full analysis here.
Continue with Google
Discussion (0)
Join the Discussion!
Sign in easily to start commenting, replying, and interacting with other readers.
Latest Comments
No comments yet. Be the first!