Takamoto
Katsuta
Japan
·
WRC
Date of birth | March 17, 1993 |
|---|---|
Birthplace | Nagoya, Japan |
Age | 33 |
Nationality | Japan |
Career start | 2012 |
Disciplines | Rally WRC |
A third-generation rally driver, Takamoto Katsuta is making his mark as Japan’s next great rally export. However, had he listened to his eight-time Japanese Rally Champion father, Norihiko, back in 2014, he’d never have left the track racing world where he cut his teeth.
“I enjoyed the track racing, but I knew it would be difficult to make it to the top in racing. I didn’t expect it to be any easier in rallying, but at that time I heard about a Toyota programme to develop young drivers. I was interested and, of course, very interested to hear about Toyota coming back to WRC,” Katsuta recalls. “My father told me to stay with racing. He knows how difficult it is to go to rallying and he was very happy with me racing. I told him, ‘No, I will go with rally’.”
Learning a new way of driving
After winning his first All Japan Rally Championship race in the JN class, Katsuta was selected to be part of the Toyota Gazoo Racing Challenge Programme for young drivers. Whisked off to Europe to train under the watchful eye of rallying legend Tommi Mäkinen, he struggled in his first couple of years to tame his flat-out circuit racing instincts and keep his car on track.
“In those first three years, my focus was on speed and I was crashing too much. I had to change my mental approach and find a new way,” he remembers.
The breakthrough came in 2018, when Katsuta drove to the WRC2 class win at Rally Sweden, a result he followed up the next year at Rally Chile, and he further impressed with a Top 10 finish on his debut drive in a full World Rally Championship car later that summer at Rally Germany
Earning a seat in the WRC
For the 2021 season, Toyota put its faith in Katsuta with a full WRC class drive in the Yaris World Rally Car and he rewarded them with a first podium at the toughest rally of them all, the revived Safari Rally Kenya.
Katsuta continued to excel in 2022, securing podium finishes at Safari Rally Kenya and on home soil at the FORUM8 Rally Japan 2022 as he finished the campaign in fifth overall.
He continued to showcase incredible consistency in WRC, finishing the 2023 season in seventh before placing sixth overall in both 2024 and 2025.
A maiden WRC victory
At the start of the 2026 season, Katsuta secured his maiden WRC victory in thrilling fashion at Safari Rally Kenya. On his 94th WRC start, the Japanese driver tamed testing conditions to become the first Japanese driver to win a WRC round since Kenjiro Shinozuka won at the Ivory Coast Rally in 1992. This was followed by triumph at Croatia Rally for back-to-wins for Katsuta.
“I don't know what to say,” said an emotional Katsuta after his Kenya victory. “We have had so many difficulties and moments. Aaron [Johnston, co-driver] has worked very hard to work with me. The team always believed in me when I was failing all the time. I'm here because of them and Aaron.”
Full of emotion after his maiden WRC victory at Safari Rally Kenya
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Katsuta has been the picture of consistency in the WRC
© Jaanus Ree/Red Bull Content Pool
Handling challenging conditions in Sweden
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Celebrating with his team
© Jaanus Ree/Red Bull Content Pool