How Toyota transformed an F1 hopeful into a factory WRC driver
Having originally started out in karting and single-seaters to follow his dream of making it to Formula 1, Takamoto Katsuta's career instead changed course into the world of rallying. A breakthrough 2022 WRC season has lifted Katsuta into Toyota's factory line-up - but it's been a long road to the top level
It’s difficult to envisage a bigger gulf in motorsport than that between single-seater racing and rallying, but this unlikely route is exactly the pathway Takamoto Katsuta has taken to become a fully fledged factory World Rally Championship driver.
Seven years ago Toyota set itself a challenge. Alongside plans for re-entry to the World Rally Championship it launched a young driver programme designed to unearth a future Japanese rally star to join them on their journey.
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