Takamoto Katsuta has heaped praise on James Fulton for his impressive stand-in performance at Rally Chile last week. Fulton replaced regular co-driver Aaron Johnston, who was sidelined with a fractured collarbone after a crash at Rally del Paraguay.
Despite a disappointing result, Katsuta was full of admiration for Fulton's seamless adaptation. "Honestly, James did an amazing job. I had no doubt he could jump in straight away. We decided very late, but he prepared everything perfectly," Katsuta told DirtFish.
Fulton, who usually co-drives for Yuki Yamamoto in the Toyota Challenge Program, received a last-minute call-up. Finnish co-driver Topi Luhtinen took Fulton's seat alongside Yamamoto in the GR Yaris Rally2. Fulton is no stranger to Rally1, having partnered Craig Breen at Rally Japan 2022 and Rally Sweden 2023.
However, the rally with Katsuta turned sour early. A mistake on Friday's opening stage forced them to retire, completing only four stages. They finished 36th overall. Still, Katsuta was quick to highlight Fulton's professionalism. "He's really, really good. Reading: no problem. Organizing: no problem. I had no worries about anything," he added.
Johnston will return to the Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 for Rally Italy Sardinia in two weeks. Katsuta will start sixth on the road after dropping two places in the championship. "It's going to be an advantage for road cleaning, I'll be sixth on the road. There's a good opportunity. Hopefully it won't rain, but I just need to stay focused and keep going," Katsuta concluded.
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