Toyota has been running its Challenge Program since 2015. The first “class” included Takamoto Katsuta, who now competes as an official driver for Toyota’s WRC team in the top category of the World Rally Championship.
Now, under the guidance of the programme’s head coach, former rally star Mikko Hirvonen, the so-called fourth generation of drivers has been chosen.
From nearly 100 applicants, Rio Ogata and Kanta Yanaguida stood out during a training camp in Lapland, earning their places under Toyota’s wing. Tomiya Maekawa was also selected as a co-driver for the programme.
The new members of the Challenge Program will relocate to the Jyväskylä region of Finland, where Toyota’s WRC headquarters is based. Their upcoming training will include extensive driving practice, pace note preparation, and physical fitness training. Starting in the summer, Ogata and Yanaguida will compete in national rallies in Finland and Europe using front-wheel-drive Rally4 cars.
Ogata, 23, and Yanaguida, 24, have limited experience behind the wheel of a rally car. Yanaguida, however, is well-known for his success in drifting competitions in Japan. Yanaguida even defeated none other than Kalle Rovanperä in the final of Japan’s Formula Drift event last year.
According to Mikko Hirvonen, who serves as the “headmaster” of the Challenge Program, the calibre of applicants has improved year by year.
“We again had a good group of very strong drivers and all of them made steps forward during the week. Some had great natural talent and some had a bit more background in motorsport already, but they were quite close to one another, so they had to push hard to make a difference,” Hirvonen explains.
“That helped us because, while driving skill is important, we’re also looking for how they perform under pressure; who is able to be consistent with all the different cars and situations, and who is able to keep their head when we put them against the clock. That’s what separated Rio and Kanta from the rest, but now the hard work really starts for them.”
Tomiya Maekawa, the first co-driver chosen for the program, will also move to Finland, where he will follow a tailored training programme. In addition, Maekawa will compete alongside experienced driver Jarkko Nikara.
The aim of Toyota’s WRC Challenge Programme is to elevate promising Japanese talents to the top level of the World Rally Championship.
