WRC, Sportrik Media - Rising Japanese prospect Kanta Yanaguida continued his impressive development in the 2026 Finnish Rally Championship by securing his second SM2 class victory of the season as part of the Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT development programme.
Yanaguida and co-driver Ville Mannisenmäki had already shown strong pace earlier in the campaign, finishing second in the season opener at Mikkeli before converting that speed into victory at Tunturiralli. At Riihimäki, the 19-year-old seized the rally lead from the opening special stage and controlled the event from start to finish.
Pressure came from returning driver Henri Altomaa, who was competing in his first rally after a year-long absence. Despite the layoff, Altomaa pushed hard and finished just five seconds behind Yanaguida, keeping the battle alive until the final stages.
“The last part was the most difficult of the rally and I didn’t drive it perfectly,” Yanaguida admitted. “I’m very happy with my winter. I’ve clearly improved my driving in winter conditions, and that’s important for the future.”
Altomaa expressed satisfaction with his comeback performance despite narrowly missing victory.
“I have to admit I’m pleased. A win would have been sweeter, but this is already good. The car worked very well and the team did a great job,” he said.
Third place in the SM2 class went to Tuomas Skantz, who inherited the podium position on the final stage after Pekka Keski-Korsu and fellow Toyota junior Rio Ogata were forced to retire.
Yanaguida belongs to the fourth generation of Toyota’s driver development programme, alongside Ogata. He relocated to Finland roughly a year ago to accelerate his adaptation to European rally conditions and made his competitive debut last season. In autumn 2025, he secured his first class win in Seinäjoki in SM3 driving a Renault Clio Rally4.
The start to 2026 has been even stronger, with two class victories in SM2 already under his belt. The early-season form highlights his growing potential within Toyota’s long-term pipeline. Currently, Takamoto Katsuta represents Japan in the factory Toyota WRC line-up, having progressed through the programme’s first generation.
While Yanaguida still has significant development ahead before reaching that level, his consistent performances in Finland suggest a solid technical and mental foundation for future advancement.
The Finnish Rally Championship continues in Imatra in May, before moving into the summer rounds in Jyväskylä, Kitee and Porvoo.
Finnish Rally Championship – Riihimäki SM2 Results
| Pos | Driver | Car | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kanta Yanaguida | Renault | 1:00:32.2 |
| 2 | Henri Altomaa | Ford | +5.0 |
| 3 | Tuomas Skantz | Renault | +2:54.7 |
| 4 | Priit Koik | Renault | +3:10.6 |
| 5 | Isak Sjökvist | Renault | +3:14.6 |
| 6 | Mikko Nevalainen | Renault | +3:17.2 |
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