‘Consolidation’ is the name of the game for Johnston

RETAINING fourth place in the World Rally Championship or even bettering that position is Aaron Johnston and Takamoto Katsuta’s aim ahead of this coming weekend’s Rally Croatia.

The Toyota Gazoo Racing Team Next Generation crew have grown into the WRC during the opening two rounds in Monte Carlo and Sweden and with Croatia being run on the Japanese driver’s favoured surface, Fintona co-driver Johnston hopes the pair can either retain their overall position in the standings or improve upon it come Sunday afternoon.

“Coming from the race tracks – Taka did single seater racing for many years before he started rallying – he’s very comfortable on the surface. He’s very comfortable on tarmac, especially dry tarmac,” Johnston explained.

“He was very happy at the test and was very comfortable in the car and he did all the stages last year and finished fourth overall, so from that perspective his confidence is fairly high going into the weekend.

“I think the main aim is consolidation. We’re fourth overall in the Championship and if we can leave Croatia in the same place, if not even one place higher it would be fantastic.”

That aim won’t be straightforward, however, with their Toyota colleagues, Elfyn Evans, Kalle Rovenpera and Esapekka Lappi all expected to be on the pace, along with the Hyundai and Ford crews, all of whom will be targeting as many championship points as possible.

“Elfyn, Kalle and EP {Lappi] will be very fast and the Hyundai’s will be too and so will the Fords but we will do our own thing and if we’re there or there abouts we’ll be very happy with that,” Johnston added.

“The most important thing is to get to the finish and that is definitely our main aim and anything after that will be a bonus.”

As well as building their professional relationship this year, Johnston and Katsuta have also had to get used to the new Rally1 hybrid cars and the Tyrone man feels they are well on their way to that goal.

“We did a lot of driving in it at the end of last year and we’ve done two full length events now and multiple tests so things are becoming more natural,” he added.

“It comes like second nature then but you still have to be alert to all the new procedures with hybrid and all this but generally, now when we’re going out, it doesn’t fell like you’re getting into a new car, it feels like you’re getting into your own car and you feel at home in it, so it’s a positive step.”

Rally Croatia gets underway this morning.