Takamoto Katsuta tops Rally Finland 2026 shakedown

Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta set the fastest time in the opening shakedown of the 2026 Rally Finland, clocking 2'11.7 and finishing 0.9 seconds ahead of Hyundai’s Adrien Fourmaux and fellow Toyota driver Oliver Solberg. Championship leader Elfyn Evans was 1.7 seconds slower, while Esapekka Lappi trailed by 1.9 seconds. Veteran Sébastien Ogier recorded an 11th‑place time and was joined by former co‑driver Julien Ingrassia, who replaced Vincent Landais for this event. The shakedown took place on the 4.12‑km Ruuhimäki stage near Jyväskylä, offering a first look at the 315 km of fast forest special stages that define the 75th edition of the rally. In the WRC2 category, Teemu Suninen posted the quickest time, with several Skoda and Toyota crews also competing. The results underline Katsuta’s strong familiarity with the Finnish roads, where he has trained for years, and suggest a tightly contested battle for the championship title as the weekend progresses.