Kalle Rovanperä had to stand on the sidelines and watch it happen. It wasn’t his business, he couldn’t get involved. But it still hurt – watching your mate being dropped from playing alongside you is never easy.
Takamoto Katsuta’s demotion to the bench for last year’s Rally Chile was the bitterest of pills to swallow for the likeable Japanese. His return in Central Europe was good, his performance in Japan nothing short of outstanding. Those two rallies – and support from friends like Rovanperä – paved the way for his return this season.
Every now and then you get proper, solid friendships in this sport and that’s where Katsuta and Rovanperä are at.
“I can always say it,” smiled the Finn, “Taka is one of the coolest guys, in my opinion. He’s the only, let’s say, real friend I have from any of the drivers.
“So, of course, I’m always supporting him. We send messages all the time.
“And last year also, when we haven’t been in the races, I speak with him. It’s super-cool to have him in the team. I don’t know, was I the first one? But I think one of the first ones when he knew that he will continue [with the team], he sent me a message and straight away we talked about it.
“For sure, I’m super happy to have him back.”
Both were back in action testing their Toyota GR Yaris Rally1s last week before the first round of the World Rally Championship, the Monte Carlo Rally, next week [January 23-26].
The last time they both started a WRC event together was Finland last August.
