Japanese driver Takamoto Katsuta will be sitting out the Rally Chile at the end of September, as Finnish prospect Sami Pajari will take his place in Toyota’s lineup. Katsuta will return to action in October’s Central European round, where Pajari will also be competing.
Katsuta’s season in the WRC has been very lacklustre. The only bright spot came in Kenya in March, when the Japanese driver finished second. Besides that, he’s had five retirements and a few results in the lower ranks. It’s clear that Katsuta’s poor form is one reason why Toyota will likely lose the manufacturers’ championship battle to Hyundai this year.
Team principal Jari-Matti Latvala had expressed confidence before the season that Toyota believed Katsuta could step up his performance. However, things turned out differently. According to Latvala, Katsuta is expected to continue with Toyota next season, but changes may be on the horizon.
“We need to do something. The problem with Taka is that he has the speed, but the mistakes keep happening in the same situations. When he’s in a position to fight for a podium or a win, and he needs to push a bit more, that increase in speed is always too much, and then the mistake happens,” Latvala told RallyJournal.com after the Acropolis Rally in Greece.
“In that sense, it’s a mental issue. A solution needs to be found and we have to start working on it to break the pattern.”
Toyota has not yet finalised its lineup for next year. The most likely scenario is that Kalle Rovanperä and Elfyn Evans will drive a full season. Katsuta will probably also compete in all WRC rounds but may not necessarily be eligible for team points. The decision from Sébastien Ogier is still pending, and the more events the French champion competes in, the more often Katsuta will be able to drive without the pressure of scoring points.
The recent decision to give Pajari two WRC rounds in a Rally1 car suggests that Toyota may have plans for the Finnish driver next year as well.
“We also have to consider for next year that if we want to fight for championships, we need to have three drivers doing a full season. Then we can have a fourth driver, who can rotate and do a half-season. But we need three full-season drivers,” Latvala stated.
“We still have to believe in Katsuta. He’s worked hard and risen to this level. The speed is there, but now he needs to finish rallies. We have to continue with Taka; that’s not the issue. But we can’t continue as we are – something needs to change.”
