The Japanese manufacturer made a tactical decision already on the final day of Rally Estonia, held a couple of weeks ago. Takamoto Katsuta had complained of a technical issue from the morning onwards and eventually retired before the Power Stage.
At the time, there was already speculation that Katsuta’s retirement was strategic – allowing the team to change the engine in his car ahead of Rally Finland. On the eve of the Finnish event, Juha Kankkunen, who is acting as Toyota’s team principal in Jyväskylä, confirmed that this was exactly the plan.
“To be honest, we had to take Taka out, because then we could change the engine as well (without penalty),” Kankkunen confirmed.
“Taka has an almost brand-new engine in his car. You’re allowed only two engines during the season. But the engine that was running in Taka’s car had done five rallies or something like that, with only small servicing. So it was starting to be at the end.”
Katsuta is not scoring manufacturers’ points for Toyota in Jyväskylä, but he has the potential to be a thorn in the side of Hyundai’s drivers. Katsuta learned to rally on the fast gravel roads of Central Finland, and Rally Finland is his favourite event.
Toyota has five drivers entered in the top category for this rally. Elfyn Evans, Sébastien Ogier and Kalle Rovanperä are competing for manufacturers’ points, while Sami Pajari is driving for Toyota’s satellite outfit.
According to Kankkunen, all Toyota drivers should have fully fit engines for Rally Finland.
“Every engine has now done maybe just one rally or two at most, with full servicing. They all should be perfect. No problem,” Kankkunen stated.
