Takamoto Katsuta to compete in WRC class with Yaris WRC

Takamoto Katsuta to compete in WRC class with Yaris WRC

勝田貴元、WRC第10戦 ラリー・ドイチェランドと第13戦 ラリー・スペインでヤリスWRCでの参戦が決定！

トミ・マキネン（プログラム監修）
勝田は今シーズンここまで良い結果を残しています。WRC2クラスで戦う中で、ドライビング技術の向上と、一貫性を持つことに成長を見せています。ヤリスWRCで初めて参戦したフィンランドラリー選手権でもしっかりと走りました。このような彼の成長を見て、次のステップへの準備は整っていると判断しました。そこで、更なる成長の促進を図るため、WRCトップカテゴリー2戦に出場する機会を与えます。勝田はドイチェランドでのラリーは初めてですし、スペインはグラベルとターマックで構成されるラリーですので、とても大きな挑戦になります。そのため、結果を追うことを目標とはせず、ドライビング技術の向上と、参戦を通して様々なことを学ぶことを優先させます。

勝田貴元
まずサポートしてくださった皆様に感謝の気持ちをお伝えしたいです。 4年前ラリーに転向してから、将来WRCワールドチャンピオンを獲ることを考えてラリーに取り組んできました。良いこともあれば、悔しかったこと、苦しかったことも沢山ありました。本当に多くの方にサポートいただき、この度大きな一歩を踏み出すことができます。

ですが、僕にとってのゴールはここではありません。今年ヤリスWRCに乗ってから徐々に手応えを掴みつつあります。近い将来WRCトップカテゴリーで戦うためにも、今は焦らず着実に経験を積み、このチャンスを無駄にしない様、一戦一戦成長していきます。まだまだ夢へ向けてやるべきことは多いですが、必ず最後までやり切りますので、今後共応援の程よろしくお願い致します。

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing is accelerating the 2019 activities of the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Rally Challenge Program, which supports young drivers competing in the tough global arena of rallying.

As the 2019 season reaches the half-way mark, Takamoto Katsuta has so far competed on seven rounds in the WRC2 class of the FIA World Rally Championship with an R5 car, claiming one victory, on Rally Chile. In addition, he scored two wins from two starts in the Finnish championship with the Yaris WRC, and has been steadily improving himself.

Considering Katsuta’s growth in the first half of this season, the planned activity for the second half of the season has been revised. He will join the top category with a Yaris WRC in round 10, Rally Germany, and round 13, Rally Spain, with the goal of continuing his growth as a WRC driver. Contesting these two WRC events in the top class as part of his training, Takamoto Katsuta is contributing towards the final aim of Toyota in its challenge to develop a Japanese WRC driver.

■Tommi Mäkinen（Program Supervisor）
Takamoto has made some big steps already this year. In his WRC2 program, he has shown very good progress with his driving and his consistency. He also handled his first rallies in the Yaris WRC in the Finnish championship very well. Because of this, we are sure that he is ready to make the next step up already. We waited to finalise his programme for the end of the season, to see how he was progressing, and it is great that we can already add these two events in a World Rally Car in the world championship. We know that these will be very challenging rallies – Takamoto has no experience of competing in Germany, and Spain is tough as it’s a mixed-surface event. So we are not setting any targets in terms of results: the main priority will be for him to continue learning and to develop his driving.

■Takamoto Katsuta
First of all, I would like to thank everyone who has supported me. Since I switched to rallying four years ago, I have worked hard to be world rally champion in the future. There have been many good moments, but also frustrating ones. Now, I can take a big step forward with support from many people around me. However, I have not yet reached my end goal: I’m just standing on the start line. I am gaining valuable experience step-by-step in the Yaris WRC. I will develop myself consistently, rally-by-rally, to fight in the top category in the near future. I still have so much to do to make my dream come true, but I am sure I can make it. Thank you in advance for your strong support.