Takamoto Katsuta seeks 2026 breakthrough with mentorship from Ott Tänak
Takamoto Katsuta is entering the 2026 World Rally Championship season with a clear objective: securing his first-ever rally victory. Despite achieving four runner-up finishes throughout his career—most notably coming within 3.8 seconds of teammate Elfyn Evans in Sweden last year—Katsuta acknowledges that inconsistent results have hindered his progression. The Toyota driver plans to address this by refining his approach to high-pressure moments.
To facilitate this change, Katsuta is turning to 2019 world champion Ott Tänak for guidance. Katsuta identifies frustration and excessive risk-taking as key areas for improvement, citing his retirement at Rally Japan as a lesson in the need for patience. By learning to manage his mindset and accepting that podium finishes are valuable contributions to his championship campaign, he hopes to avoid the errors caused by over-driving.
Katsuta believes Tänak is the ideal mentor, as the Estonian understands the risks associated with elite-level rallying and can provide expert perspective on finding the right limit. Through regular communication and shared experience, the Japanese driver intends to implement a more balanced strategy, ensuring he remains a consistent force in a WRC field that continues to evolve with the arrival of young talent like Oliver Solberg.
