Katsuta expects “bigger challenge” in WRC 2025

Takamoto Katsuta’s biggest target for 2025 is to be more consistent with his results across a World Rally Championship campaign, which he expects will offer up a “bigger challenge”.

The 31-year-old is gearing up for a sixth season with the factory Toyota squad, which will expand to four full-time entries next year. Two-time world champion Kalle Rovanpera will return for a full season after a partial 2024 campaign, while the team has signed WRC2 champion Sami Pajari to join its line-up alongside Elfyn Evans.

Katsuta ended a challenging 2024 season sixth in the standings. Although he showed flashes of pace, challenging for victory in Sweden until crashing out and finishing second behind Rovanpera in the brutal Safari Rally Kenya, the Japanese also made a string of costly mistakes that ultimately resulted in Toyota benching him for Rally Chile in September.

However, Katsuta produced two impressive drives under intense pressure on his return to the championship, placing fourth in the final two events of the season in Central Europe and Japan.

Those results have helped restore confidence, but Katsuta maintains that he has to work on his improving his consistency next season.

“For sure, it has to be better than this year, but at the same time I need to be more consistent over the season, and at every rally try to fight for the podium,” Katsuta told Motorsport.com.

“Of course, it would be nice to get podiums at every rally, but with all the top drivers competing it is never easy.

“At some rallies when I have good confidence and performance I will try to do my best to get the victory, but this is not the first target.

“The biggest target for next year is that I need to be more consistent and I try to work hard for what the team needs, this is the first thing I need to sort.

“I need to make a proper plan about when I can push and when I need to make sure I finish and bring in the points.

“For sure, next year will be a bigger challenge in terms of expectation and all the things.

“It is good to have Kalle come back and Sami joining the team; [Pajari] is a pretty young talent, so for sure I will learn from him as well.

“Of course, I have a bit more experience than Sami, so I don’t want to lose easily, but I need to be flexible and learn from him as well. It is going to be a nice season.”

The 2025 WRC season begins with the annual curtain raiser in Monte Carlo from 23-26 January.

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