The Finnish star’s toughest competitors are expected to be Toyota’s other part-time driver, Sebastien Ogier, as well as Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville and Ott Tänak. However, Toyota might have one more ace up its sleeve, as Takamoto Katsuta heads to the Portuguese gravel with no pressure.
For the first time this season, the Japanese driver does not need to worry about team points. Therefore, he is not required to drive conservatively but can indeed go all out. His starting position also speaks in favor of Katsuta.
“I’m looking forward to these next rallies on gravel and I’m confident that they can be good events for me. Portugal especially is a rally that I like and I know the stages pretty well, and our car should work well there.” Katsuta contemplates.
“As I’m not registered to score points for the team on this event, I have no pressure on that side and I can just focus on driving fast and trying to do my best.”
Especially on the second runs, the roads in Portugal can become quite rough. There’s a high risk of tyre punctures, but if one dares to test the limits, significant gaps can be made.
“There are some famous stages like Fafe with many jumps, and some stages that are very rough with a lot of rocks, especially on Friday. But if it’s going well, I will try to push as much as I can,” Katsuta plans.
The Rally de Portugal starts with a shakedown on Thursday morning. The rally, ending on Sunday, features 22 special stages, totaling about 337 kilometers.
