Takamoto Katsuta feels fully prepared to mount a serious challenge for the World Rally Championship crown in 2027, building upon the foundations of a breakthrough campaign in 2026 where he tasted maiden victories and briefly surged to the top of the championship standings.
Driving for Toyota, the Japanese driver delivered sensational back-to-back victories in Kenya and Croatia, marking a career-first milestone at the summit of world rallying. His blistering pace kept him firmly in the title hunt during the first half of the season, sitting just 11 points adrift of eventual world champion Elfyn Evans after round eight in Greece.
However, the momentum dramatically shifted in the second half of the year following a cascade of misfortune. Punctures in Estonia, a costly off on the Finland powerstage, two separate crashes across three days in Paraguay, and an early exit in Chile derailed his championship aspirations, ultimately leaving him sixth in the final standings.
Reflecting on the campaign in an interview with DirtFish, Katsuta acknowledged the stark contrast between the two halves of his season. "Of course, the beginning of the season until the mid-screen went very well. We were basically quite well fighting for the championship until midway through, but then after the summer it went a bit the wrong way and we were struggling a lot and we were not able to, you know, continue to fight for championship," Katsuta explained.
Looking ahead to 2027, Katsuta remains steadfast in the target he set a year prior. Acknowledging the fierce intra-team rivalry alongside multiple world champions, he emphasized that his primary area for personal development is improving his resilience and bouncing back stronger from setbacks.
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