The Japanese driver has reached the podium twice in Africa in his career and is now poised for a second-place finish before Sunday’s final six special stages. He is over two minutes behind his teammate and race leader Kalle Rovanperä, while Adrien Fourmaux of M-Sport Ford is trailing by over a minute.
Thus, Katsuta can afford to be cautious on Sunday, though he remains interested in additional points.
“There is some possibility that everybody is thinking the same. If you are completely off the pace, then you cannot get any points. But if you are quite reasonable, you can push without risk,” Katsuta reflected.
“I felt quite good with the car. So, possibly, we can gain some points. But you know, anything can happen, so we need to be ready and careful.”
Saturday morning almost saw tire punctures cost Katsuta the second position, but his competitors also faced issues later on.
“This mistake, the double puncture, was one of my mistakes. Whether it was a mistake or a lottery or whatever, it’s hard to say. When I want to push, then the time is always good. But I also have been good at managing the situation,” Katsuta said.
“So, of course, if you really want to win the rally, then you need to push more, like Kalle did yesterday. But I’m very happy with what I have done so far. And tomorrow, I just need to survive. Also, if I can take some points for the team as well, that would be great.”
Six special stages remain in Kenya on Sunday.
