BY FRANK KAHEESI & HENRY MBAZIIRA
Unlike the joy and celebration that followed his WRC Safari Rally Kenya victory, Japanese driver Takamoto Katsuta barely celebrated his last-minute win at Rally Croatia.
The reason was simple: probable winner Thierry Neuville and co-driver Martin Wydaeghe lost it all just kilometers from the end of Sunday’s Power Stage after going off and hitting a culvert. Their event win evaporated in an instant.
Katsuta once again benefited from late misfortune to win a dramatic Rally Croatia and take the lead of the World Rally Championship.
As in Kenya, the Japanese driver was a model of consistency, focusing on his own race while others hit trouble.
It looked certain that Neuville would come out on top, the Hyundai driver carrying a lead of over a minute into the final stage.
But his hopes were dashed when he clipped the culvert, damaging the i20 N Rally1’s suspension and forcing him into retirement.
With back-to-back wins in Kenya and Croatia, Katsuta now leads the drivers’ standings, while Toyota Gazoo Racing tightens its grip on the manufacturers’ championship.
If this run of consistency continues, 2026 could well deliver double silverware to Toyota — but Katsuta knows better than anyone that in rallying, fortunes can flip in the final kilometer.
