Toyota’s WRC drivers have been extensively testing the team’s Rally1 car in Finland this week at their newly established test site.
Following test runs by Kalle Rovanperä and Elfyn Evans, Takamoto Katsuta took over testing duties on Thursday, getting behind the wheel of the Toyota GR Yaris Rally1.
Katsuta has a chance to fight for victory in the second round of the season. The Japanese driver has stated that his goal for this year is to secure his first-ever win in the World Rally Championship.
He pushed the car confidently on the icy roads as he fine-tuned the setup for the only winter rally of the season.
Watch the videos of Katsuta’s test below!
A year ago, Katsuta was battling for the lead in Rally Sweden against Hyundai’s Esapekka Lappi. However, on Saturday, he made a driving error and was forced to retire. This left Lappi with a clear path to claim the second WRC victory of his career.
The season-opening Rally Monte-Carlo was a disappointing outing for Katsuta. He was unwell throughout the rally weekend, which affected his performance. To make matters worse, he went off the road on the final day and had to retire.
Despite the poor start to the season, there is a silver lining: in Sweden, Katsuta will benefit from a favourable starting position on the opening day. If he can make full use of this advantage, he could once again be in contention for victory.
Rally Sweden will take place around Umeå from 13–16 February.
