Both Katsuta and team principal Jari-Matti Latvala have admitted that poor performances led the team to question his place. Five retirements prompted Toyota to sideline Katsuta for September’s Rally Chile.
However, Katsuta, who now resides in Jyväskylä, Finland, salvaged his season with fourth-place finishes in the Central European Rally and Rally Japan. Looking ahead to the 2025 rally season, Katsuta acknowledges the need for greater consistency.
At his best, Katsuta showed winning pace last year, but mistakes often crept in as he pushed harder.
“For sure, it has to be better than this year, but at the same time I need to be more consistent over the season, and at every rally try to fight for the podium,” Katsuta told Motorsport.com.
“Of course, it would be nice to get podiums at every rally, but with all the top drivers competing it is never easy.”
Katsuta has his sights set on his first career victory but insists that it’s not his primary objective.
“At some rallies when I have good confidence and performance I will try to do my best to get the victory, but this is not the first target. The biggest target for next year is that I need to be more consistent and I try to work hard for what the team needs.”
“I need to make a proper plan about when I can push and when I need to make sure I finish and bring in the points. For sure, next year will be a bigger challenge in terms of expectation and all the things,” Katsuta summarised.
In 2025, Toyota’s full-season driver line-up includes Katsuta, Kalle Rovanperä, Elfyn Evans, and Sami Pajari, while Sebastien Ogier will compete in selected events. Ogier’s presence eases Katsuta’s burden of scoring manufacturer points.
It’s clear, however, that Katsuta will need to consistently finish ahead of Pajari, who is embarking on his first full season in the WRC’s top category.
“It is good to have Kalle come back and Sami joining the team. Sami is a pretty young talent, so for sure I will learn from him as well,” Katsuta said.
“Of course, I have a bit more experience than Sami, so I don’t want to lose easily, but I need to be flexible and learn from him as well. It is going to be a nice season.”
The 2025 rally season kicks off with the iconic Rally Monte Carlo from 23–26 January.
