For Aaron Johnston, winning the Safari Rally isn’t the realization of a dream. He never dreamed the dream, because he never expected to be in this position.
Rallying has always been a huge part of his life, but it was what he did after work. Sharing a Mini Cooper S with William Todd on the Loughgall Historic Rally, 15 years ago, would have seemed a long way from the top step of the Safari Rally podium.
But he’s there now.
“It is a very special feeling,” he smiled. “But it was never the plan to make this into a career it was just something to do at home on the weekends with a group of friends. And now we’ve climbed all the way to the very top of the WRC and to stand on the top step of the podium with a Japanese driver and a Japanese car in such an iconic event is superb.
“It’s an unreal feeling and one that I hope we can also replicate again very soon.”
Johnston has been working with Katsuta for four and a half years. He’s been the calm in the occasional storm through that time, but it’s hard to find a closer working relationship in the service park.
He added: “We work well together professionally but we’re also good friends and I know his personality quite well now. We work hard and we can also have some fun together too and that’s important when you spend so many days a year together. Taka is a superb guy and a very talented driver and this has been a long time coming, so I’m very happy for him to achieve that result now.”
It’s entirely typical of Johnston’s grounded nature to sense the spotlight coming in his direction and divert it towards the man who spends the greater part of the season sitting on his left. But there’s no mistaking the step Sunday’s Safari win represents to Toyota’s #18 pairing.
“There was pressure from ourselves and pressure from around,” he said, “but we always knew deep down that we could do it. We could manage the speed versus the risk – and that’s what we’ve as well shown today as well. This [managing the risk] is another strong point which maybe we haven’t been so good at in the past.
“I think it’s a weight off our shoulders now and it’s one that we don’t have on our backs anymore and we can enjoy the driving and ultimately have less pressure when we’re in that position again.”
And the form this pair are in – scoring back-to-back podiums for the first time ever – again might come sooner than you think.
