Katsuta targets victory at Rally Japan

Takamoto Katsuta enters the 2026 FORUM8 Rally Japan aiming for a breakthrough win on home soil. Following a successful season that included victories in Kenya and Croatia, the 33-year-old is focused on a "full attack" strategy to overcome previous misfortunes at the event, specifically the power steering failure that ended his challenge on stage 11 last year. Katsuta currently trails teammate Elfyn Evans by 12 points, providing him with a favorable second-on-the-road starting position for the technical asphalt stages.

Competition for the win will be intense, as Toyota fields five cars with crews all considered capable of taking the top step of the podium. Katsuta faces significant internal pressure from teammates including reigning champion Sébastien Ogier, consecutive Rally Japan winner Elfyn Evans, and the rapidly improving Sami Pajari and Oliver Solberg. Reflecting on the depth of the Toyota squad, Katsuta compared the internal competition to facing a lineup of Formula 1 champions, noting that while the challenge is immense, he is committed to performing at his best.