Takamoto Katsuta has opened up about a Rally Japan week which he says was the most pressured of his life.
Katsuta has been a fixture in Toyota’s lineup since 2020, but was benched for September’s Rally Chile after a string of mistakes.
The Japanese bounced back strongly at Central European Rally with fourth place overall and all 12 points from Sunday’s powerstage and Super Sunday format, but has never felt such pressure in a rally car before than at his home event in Japan this weekend.
At the end of the powerstage, Katsuta suggested “if something happened this could be the last rally for me” – indicating that any kind of error would have spelled the end of his career with Toyota.
“It was not normal pressure, of course. It was a crazy, crazy weekend,” Katsuta told DirtFish.
“I don’t know, how do I say it? I’ve never been in this kind of feeling in a rally car or even in my life. Huge pressure. I just had to bring the car back.
“Same time this is in Japan, I cannot drive just like Sunday drive. [It was] so, so tough like mentally.
Katsuta has never experienced pressure like he did this weekend before
“But same time I cannot make any stupid things and OK, puncture and some spin but somehow I managed to come back here, so yeah.
“On the powerstage also I was really trying but then you know I didn’t feel so comfortable and probably [there was] still something in my mind, I’m not sure. But anyway I came back here so now finally [I feel] a little bit relieved.”
Toyota’s 2025 driver lineup is yet to be officially confirmed, but traditionally it makes an announcement just after Rally Japan.
“I’m not signed yet, so I don’t know, but let’s see,” Katsuta said. “I think tonight I will hear something.”
Additional reporting by David Evans.
