Katsuta has not particularly impressed in the opening round of the World Rally Championship. Over the course of two days, the Japanese driver has finished in the top five on special stages only twice.
Heading into Saturday’s stages, Katsuta sits in sixth place, over a minute and a half behind his teammate and rally leader Sebastien Ogier.
Expectations were higher for Katsuta at Monte-Carlo. On Friday, he was hindered by a gearbox issue, but in addition to that, he has been competing while recovering from illness.
Katsuta has not made much of a fuss about his condition, but Latvala disclosed the situation after Friday’s stages.
“He developed a fever before the rally. He’s not in top condition,” Latvala told RallyJournal.com.
“But he’s been driving persistently and wants to complete the rally. Let’s just say he’s definitely not able to perform at his best in this event,” the team boss added.
Otherwise, Toyota is in an excellent position at the iconic event. The team currently holds a 1-2 lead, with Elfyn Evans sitting in second place behind Ogier.
“We have to be pleased with the overall situation and how well today (Friday) went. We haven’t had any major issues. In that sense, we can be very satisfied,” Latvala commented.
The Rally Monte-Carlo continues on Saturday with six special stages.
