Katsuta retires from Rally Sweden

Damage sustained on SS5 turned out to be too significant

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Takamoto Katsuta has retired from Rally Sweden a stage after he rolled his Toyota.

On SS5, the first stage of Friday afternoon, Katsuta thwacked a back with such force that it rolled his GR Yaris Rally1 over.

He arrived to the end of the stage with significant damage to the front and rear, but repairs made by Katsuta and co-driver Aaron Johnston enabled them to make the start of SS6.

But just a few kilometers onto the test, Katsuta parked up outside somebody’s house with the radiator low on water and retired from the rally.

It’s a bitter blow considering he had won a stage in the morning and was just 7.1 seconds off the lead on his first weekend registered for manufacturer points by Toyota.

Craig Breen meanwhile extended his rally lead to 10.5s after another stage win. Esapekka Lappi had looked set to pass Ott Tänak for second but overshot a junction to remain third.

Words:Luke Barry

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