AXCR 2024: Team Mitsubishi Ralliart’s Triton Finishes in Fifth Place Overall in Asia Cross Country Rally 2024

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Team Determined to Make a Comeback Next Year

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (hereafter, Mitsubishi Motors) announced that Team Mitsubishi Ralliart, for which the company provides technical support, has won fifth place overall in the Asia Cross Country Rally (hereafter, AXCR) 2024, held in Thailand from August 11 to 17, with the Triton1 (T1 specification, or modified cross-country vehicle). The total distance covered was 2,075.54 kilometers (km), including 939.58 km2 of special stages, and Katsuhiko Taguchi finished in fifth place overall with a total time of 15 hours, 34 minutes and 52 seconds.

In the overall standings, Kazuto Koide, who competed for the first time, placed 24th, and Sakchai Hantrakul placed 27th. Chayapon Yotha retired from first place overall in Leg 5, ending in 42nd overall.
This year’s AXCR held its ceremonial start on August 11 at the landmark clock tower in Surat Thani, Thailand. The rally proper began with Leg 1 the following day, and Leg 2 took the participants from Surat Thani to Hua Hin, covering over 550 km and making it the longest section of the entire competition. Leg 3 was a special stage in the Hua Hin area, and with Leg 4, the rally headed to Kanchanaburi, on an undulating track through mountainous terrain. Leg 4 was the toughest special stage of the six days, as many teams struggled with the route over the mountains with rocky terrain, and more than 10 teams were penalized for failing to finish within the allowed time. Leg 5 was the longest special stage in this year's competition, covering 228.87 km in the Kanchanaburi area, and the competition concluded with Leg 6 on August 17, finishing at Skywalk Avenue, close to the new tourist attraction Skywalk Kanchanaburi.

This was the second year for Katsuhiko Taguchi, who started from seventh position. Although he had a hard time with the challenging course settings, he drove carefully and steadily to complete each day's special stage and improved his position from eighth place overall last year to finish in fifth place overall.

Sakchai Hantrakul started from 30th position and jumped up to fifth place in Leg 1, but was troubled by course errors and vehicle issues, finishing in 27th place.

Kazuto Koide, who competed as an employee driver, struggled at first with the course, but he continued to drive steadily, demonstrating his adaptability and supporting his teammates who got stuck or had vehicle trouble. In the end, he finished in 24th place overall.
The previous year's 3rd place overall winner, Chayapon Yotha started furthest forward for Team Mitsubishi Ralliart and drove steadily, setting times that placed him in the top ranks day after day. By the end of Leg 4, which was the toughest of all the special stages, the Triton's high off-road handling performance showed its true potential, putting him in the overall lead with a margin of over 20 minutes ahead of second place. However, due to vehicle trouble in Leg 5, he was unable to continue and had to retire from the rally.

Comment from Hiroshi Masuoka, team director of Team Mitsubishi Ralliart
“This year's Triton was perfected with enhanced performance, showing powerful driving that covered the displacement gap with our rivals and even took the overall lead at one point. It is unfortunate that we were unable to win, but the Triton was able to fully demonstrate its excellent off-road capabilities that Mitsubishi vehicles have honed over the decades. After returning to Japan, Koide, an employee driver who had competed for the first time, and others will reflect the valuable data and knowledge gained from this rally in the development of production vehicles, adding a new chapter to our tradition of leveraging motorsports experience for vehicle development. We will undergo rigorous tests again, and Team Mitsubishi Ralliart will make a comeback next year. We would like to thank our sponsors for their generous support and our fans around the world for their enthusiastic cheering."

Comment from Katsuhiko Taguchi, driving Car #107 for Team Mitsubishi Ralliart
“The 2024 Triton rally car was packaged at a high level and was just easy to drive. I am happy to have improved my position from last year, but I am also disappointed because I had a good feeling that I could aim for a higher position. We will use this years’ experience as feedback to further improve the driving performance of the Triton next year, so that we can stay competitive at the top.”

Comment from Kazuto Koide, driving Car #137 for Team Mitsubishi Ralliart
“The Triton rally car I drove was a 2023 model based on a production car and has a drive mode called 4LLc for rocky terrain. Using this mode, I was able to climb a nearly 40-degree incline without difficulty while towing my teammate's car, and I was reminded once again of the high off-road performance of the Triton production car. I would like to feedback what I have learned as a driver through this rally to develop future Mitsubishi vehicles that are strong and dependable on rough roads.”

AXCR 2024 auto category overall standings
1st: Mana Pornsiricherd (Toyota Hilux Revo) 14 hours 22 minutes 00 seconds
2nd: Suwat Limjirapinya (Isuzu D-Max) 14 hours 25 minutes 47 seconds
3rd: Thongchai Klinkate (Isuzu D-Max) 14 hours 36 minutes 24 seconds
4th: Ikuo Hanawa (Toyota Fortuner) 14 hours 56 minutes 48 seconds
5th: Katsuhiko Taguchi (Mitsubishi Triton) 15 hours 34 minutes 52 seconds
6th: Olan Sornsirirat (Isuzu D-Max) 15 hours 35 minutes 34 seconds
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24th: Kazuto Koide (Mitsubishi Triton) 23 hours 08 minutes 37 seconds
27th: Sakchai Hantrakul (Mitsubishi Triton) 24 hours 51 minutes 52 seconds
42nd: Chayapon Yotha (Mitsubishi Triton) DNF (Did Not Finish)

Source: Mitsubishi Japan

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