Podium for Katsuta in Japan an "important achievement" - Latvala

Katsuta was elevated to third position early on the final day of the Tarmac event when team-mate and two-time World Rally Championship runner-up Elfyn Evans collected a puncture.

Despite also experiencing a deflation himself on the penultimate stage, Katsuta held it together to make it a second third-place finish of the campaign alongside Northern Irishman, Aaron Johnston. Their first visit to the winners’ enclosure came on Safari Rally Kenya at the end of June.

Latvala revealed that he had set the 29-year-old the target of getting a double podium in 2022, and spoke of his delight that he had managed to tick the box in front of his home supporters.

“I’m really happy that he could get the second one here on home soil at Rally Japan,” said Latvala. “It’s such an important achievement for him and for Toyota.

“Unfortunately, we couldn’t win the event but to have Taka on the podium at home feels almost just as good. He’s been really consistent over this season, probably the most consistent driver in the field, and he did another really good drive here this weekend.

“He set some very strong stage times and when other drivers had problems, he was able to move up into the podium positions.

“Then, as the weather changed at the end and brought very difficult conditions, he was still able to maintain the position. So, it was another very clever drive from him.”

The magnitude of the achievement was not lost on Katsuta, who has shown improved speed across the 13 rounds aboard the GR Yaris Rally1 car.

Records show he has been the Championship’s most consistent driver this season, finishing all but one of the rallies inside the top eight positions – performances that contributed to him ending up fifth in the final standings on 122 points.

“It is a very special feeling to be on the podium in my home country,” he said. “I need to say a huge thanks to the team and to the many fans who were supporting us and cheering for us everywhere – on the stages and also on the road sections.

“It was a really tough weekend with very tricky stages, and the grip level was changing a lot. We had some very difficult conditions at the end of the rally especially, but we were able to survive.”