You’d be hard pushed to find a single soul connected to the World Rally Championship who didn’t have a nice thing to say about the result.
Takamoto Katsuta’s victory at Safari Rally Kenya was long overdue, throughly deserved and universally popular.
But it was also extremely important – not just for Katsuta’s confidence, resumé and potential championship challenge, but for a nation he and his Toyota Gazoo Racing team represent.
Japan.
How much Japan means to Katsuta is obvious; just cast your mind back to the tears last November when a mistake cost him his shot of a dream WRC victory at home.
But Katsuta means just as much to Japan – and Toyota – as Japan means to Katsuta.
“I have always hoped that a ‘Japanese rally driver who can win on the world stage’ would one day become an inspiration for children in Japan,” said Toyota chairman, Akio Toyoda.
“When there is someone to look up to, children and young people strive to surpass them.”
Katsuta has now provided that inspiration.
Toyoda added: “Kids and youngsters who work hard to surpass Takamoto will raise the level of motorsports in Japan. This victory has become a truly great gift to those young people in Japan. Thank you, Takamoto!
“I want Takamoto to become an even greater source of admiration, and we can expect another show at Rally Japan!”
Emotional words which truly resonate with Katsuta, who’s also repaid the faith and investment in Toyota’s Challenge Program by becoming the first graduate to drive, and now win, at the highest level.
“I am the first guy from this Challenge Program to make rally popular in Japan and make a better culture in Japan about motorsports and rallying,” Katsuta told DirtFish.
Katsuta carries the Japanese flag with great pride and responsibility
“Some people say maybe I’m taking too much pressure myself, but I think I have to deliver the result and I make it more popular by my result and success – otherwise it’s more difficult for the next young drivers coming from Japan.
“If I open the better road [it’ll be] much easier for them to come again and even moving forward easier for them, so I’m hoping that there are more talented drivers coming from Japan.
“Maybe 10 years later we will see more and a totally different culture about rallying in Japan.”
Katsuta may have put himself under plenty of pressure, but as they say: pressure makes diamonds.
Few world championship victories have been as important as the latest one.
