Training Report Vol.5 - SM OILI JALONEN RALLI (FRC RD.6) / RALLY SPAIN (FIA WRC RD.11)
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Rally Challenge Program is underway in Finland since 2015. After joining the 6th round of Finnish Rally Championship in September, Takamoto Katsuta and Hiroki Arai participated in Rally de Espana, the 11th round of FIA World Rally Championship as their last rally in this season.
Rally Report
RESULT
#36 Hiroki Arai/Glenn Macneall 3rd overall (Ford Fiesta R5)
#33 Takamoto Katsuta/Marko Salminen 5th overall (Ford Fiesta R5)
Katsuta and Arai participated in the penultimate round of the Finnish Rally Championship: the Oili Jalonen Ralli, located in the city of Uusikapunki on the west coast of Finland. Arai was on the podium in third and Katsuta was fifth, after mechanical difficulties in the morning. The Oili Jalonen Ralli was run entirely on compact gravel, with wide and fast roads over all eight stages. In the morning there was heavy rain, with conditions drying out during the afternoon.
Arai got off to a good start, with the correct tyre choice in the heavy rain, and could fight at the front from the very beginning. He claimed a podium but thought that he might have been able to finish even higher had he not hit a rock in the afternoon and lost around eight seconds.
By contrast, Katsuta was disappointed, as his chances were ruined by a gearbox problem before the first stage, which meant that he had to complete the first four stages with the car unable to shift down to fourth from fifth gear, dropping him down the order with every stage. Once the problem was fixed in the afternoon, he was able to fight back and eventually battled to fifth overall, only three seconds behind the fourth-placed driver, after a brave performance in which he learned a lot.
RESULT
#38 Takamoto Katsuta/Marko Salminen Class 14th (Ford Fiesta R5)
#40 Hiroki Arai/Glenn Macneall Retired (Ford Fiesta R5)
Katsuta and Arai took part in their final event of the season: Rally de Espana, the 11th round of FIA World Rally Championship. Mistakes from both drivers on the first morning denied them strong results in the WRC2 class: Katsuta restarted after a crash to gain useful experience, while Arai had shown good speed before a roll ended his event early.
Rally de Espana is the only mixed-surface event in the WRC calendar, with the first day contested on loose gravel stages before the cars are changed to asphalt specification on Friday night ready for two days on asphalt stages that are similar to a racing circuit: smooth, flowing and fast.
Katsuta, co-driven by Marko Salminen, encountered difficulty on the first stage of the event when he took too much speed into a corner and hit a barrier, damaging a steering arm on his Ford Fiesta R5. Although they managed to repair the steering arm, a power steering issue forced them to retire for the day. They restarted on Saturday morning and were able to complete the remaining two days of asphalt stages.
Arai and co-driver Glenn Macneall made an impressive start to the rally with the third-fastest times among the WRC2 drivers in both of the opening two stages. Unfortunately Arai then rolled his Fiesta R5 on the third stage on Friday after misunderstanding a pace-note. Both driver and co-driver were OK but were unable to continue.
Hiroki Arai
On stage three of Rally de Espana, there were two corners close together that were quite similar in my pacenotes: a ‘short right’ and a ‘four right’. I mixed them up and took too much speed into the corner. We hit the bank and rolled the car.
Before this, I was surprised how good our speed was compared to the other drivers, who have done this rally before. I could see the progress we have made because it wasn’t possible before for me to get this kind of speed immediately from the first stage of a rally. I think this is because I could find my direction to go and proper surface image before rally starts. I felt it finally worked which I have been working on for the last four months. I learned from my physical trainer and mental trainer to bring myself to the best condition on the rally day.
The fact that I had to retire already on SS3 was very frustrating, but I face the mistake, and improve. The result is not I wanted, but I'm happy with the effort I have made for the last few months.
Comment from Chief instructor, Jouni Ampuja
The final event of the season was a big disappointment for the drivers and the whole team. Hiroki’s speed in the beginning was encouraging, but both drivers' early mistakes ruined the rally already in the very beginning and we couldn’t get much data from this rally. But we know that both drivers are already on good level when comparing them to other WRC2 drivers. What they need most is the mental strength that you can overcome the pressure in this kind of long rally.
This year we’ve seen big progress with both drivers on all areas. But there are still many aspects that they should keep working on. The drivers and the team experienced good moments and bad moments through the season. We all learn from those experience and keep trying our best to go forward.
Takamoto Katsuta
In the middle of the first stage of Rally de Espana, I hit a barrier and broke a steering arm. It was a slippery corner. The pacenote was OK, but we were carrying a bit too much speed and I couldn’t slow down. It was very frustrating that I had to retire for the day.
On the tarmac stages of day2 and day3, I tried various settings and kept mistake-free driving. I was quite nervous and couldn't drive as I usually do, but it was also a good experience and I learned from that.
There are both positive and negative things happened in this season, and I feel I needed all those experience. I can feel I improved a lot this year. Pacenotes, driving and mindset...everything has changed quite much compared to the last year. However, I still make mistakes and sometimes feel mentally weak. I admit my mistakes, learn from them and I will keep putting my effort to improve more.