Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) has had to repair the GR Yaris of Takamoto Katsuta after the driver crashed during his third shakedown run in Kenya. The incident happened when Katsuta hit a bump while braking for a hairpin right turn, causing the car to roll and damaging the right rear of his vehicle. Despite the damage, TGR was able to repair the vehicle after an FIA inspection confirmed that the car’s roll cage had not been damaged in the incident. Katsuta’s car will now be transported to Nairobi to compete in the opening super special stage.
Details of the Incident
Katsuta, who has twice finished on the podium in the Safari Rally, said that he was surprised by the incident because nothing had happened during his first two shakedown runs. He apologized to the team for keeping them busy but promised to give them a positive result. Meanwhile, Hyundai’s Esapekka Lappi also ran into trouble during shakedown, failing to log a time after experiencing two mechanical issues. The first issue was a broken prop shaft, which forced Lappi to stop during his first run. Hyundai attempted to repair the problem during a remote service but the car came to a halt again on Lappi’s second run, with the issue believed to be similar in nature.
Shakedown Results
The shakedown was topped by Kalle Rovanpera, last year’s winner and current championship leader, who was 1.5 seconds faster than Ott Tanak of M-Sport-Ford on the 5.40km stage. Eight-time world champion Sebastien Ogier was third fastest for Toyota, ahead of Thierry Neuville, who was the top Hyundai runner, 2.4 seconds adrift.
Despite the setbacks experienced by Katsuta and Lappi, both drivers are expected to compete in the Safari Rally, which is returning to the World Rally Championship calendar this year after a 19-year absence. The rally, which takes place in Kenya, is one of the toughest and most treacherous events on the WRC calendar, with drivers having to cope with rough terrain, high temperatures, and unpredictable weather conditions.
Toyota Gazoo Racing has had to repair Takamoto Katsuta’s GR Yaris after the driver crashed during his third shakedown run in Kenya. Despite the damage, the team was able to repair the vehicle after an FIA inspection confirmed that the car’s roll cage had not been damaged in the incident. Katsuta’s car will now be transported to Nairobi to compete in the opening super special stage.
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