Aaron Johnston, a co-driver in the World Rally Championship, has said he will always remember his experience at the Safari Rally in Kenya, after earning his first podium finish.
After three difficult days that carried crews deep into Kenya’s harsh savanna, Johnston, Takamoto Katsuta’s teammate, finished the sixth round of the World Rally Championship in third place overall.
It was a landmark 10th victory for Toyota on the famous African event, and the first time it has achieved a 1-2-3-4 finish in the WRC since the very same rally in 1993.
Katsuta was able to master the difficult terrain in Kenya to claim his second career podium, one year on from taking his first at the very same event. It’s also a maiden podium for his co-driver Aaron Johnston, the drivers entered under the TGR World Rally Team Next Generation banner.
🙈 #WRC leader @KalleRovanpera‘s Safari Rally was almost over at the first corner of the first stage!
How lucky was he not to roll over there? 😳 pic.twitter.com/BxBsurLLaE
— DirtFish (@DirtFishRally) June 23, 2022
To achieve the desired outcome, the team overcame a puncture, an overshoot, and a last-minute gearbox oil leak. Additionally, they had to persuade the rally officials to give them a revised timing for the last stage on Friday, July 24.
They were also slowed down by the low-lying dust as Craig Breen and Paul Nagle’s Ford Puma, which had suspension damage and limped into “Kedong 2.” Officials came to an agreement on an updated time that was 10 seconds quicker than the initial time Katsuta recorded at the conclusion of the 19.35-mile test.
Kalle Rovanpera won in Kenya to increase his lead over Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville in the World Rally Championship standings to 65 points. He also led four Toyota Gazoo Racing Yaris Rally1 cars to victory, 29 years after the Japanese manufacturer first accomplished the legendary feat at the same competition.
The only other manufacturer to achieve a 1-2-3-4 in the World Rally Championship occurred with Citroen at the 2010 Rally Bulgaria.
“It’s a very special weekend for me,” said Johnston. “It’s my first WRC podium and I don’t think we could have done it in any more style than we did.
“It has been a long time since this has last happened, so to be there and to be on the podium for the first time in these circumstances on such a demanding event like Safari, it is very special and one I will remember for the rest of my life for sure.
“When everything is said and done, the only thing that really matters is the history, so to be there, on the podium in Kenya with Taka – a young Japanese talent, with a Japanese manufacturer – it’s special.
“But look, we are both still young. We both have big dreams and I think we are on the right path with the right team and the right guys around us.
“We will keep pushing and hopefully we can keep achieving some more results like this going forward. Like I said: to achieve this is a dream come true for me,” he added.
