AXCR2026: Katsuhiko Taguchi and Takahiro Yasui Claim Their First Victory Team MITSUBISHI RALLIART secures back-to-back wins

At the 2026 Asia Cross Country Rally (AXCR), Katsuhiko Taguchi and Takahiro Yasui of Team MITSUBISHI RALLIART, which receives technical support from MITSUBISHI MOTORS, became the first Japanese pair to achieve an overall victory. For Team MITSUBISHI RALLIART, this marks their second consecutive crown following the 2025 event, and their third victory in total. All three “TRITON” pick-up trucks entered by the team made it to the finish line, having battled through the gruelling rally.

The 2026 AXCR, which took place exclusively in Thailand, was held from Sunday 9 to Saturday 15 August. On the evening of Sunday 9, loud music set the mood at the ceremonial start held on Walking Street in Pattaya. Amidst the festivities, three TRITONs, bathed in dazzling neon lights and greeted by cheers from the crowd, set off on the six-day rally.

LEG 1 kicked off on Monday 10, the first day of the event. Special Stage (SS) 1, set along the route from Pattaya to Prachin buri inland, was hit by occasional squalls. This resulted in challenging conditions, with river-like streams and large puddles suddenly appearing on the road surface.  Taguchi finished this SS1 with the 3rd-fastest time, getting off to a promising start. Last year’s winners, Chayapon Yotha and Peerapong Sombutwong, who were first on the road, set the 7th-fastest time on this SS. Kazuto Koide and Eiji Chiba got stuck in a ditch on the side of the road and took time to return to the road. As a result, they received a time-out penalty and finished SS3 in 7th place, leaving them to fight their way back from the back of the field.

LEG 2, from Prachin buri to Nakhon Sawan, had its special stage distance reduced to less than half due to military exercises taking place in the planned special stage area. Overgrown, easy-to-get-lost sections, muddy patches, and rocky terrain where punctures are a risk, all stood in the way of the competitors. Taguchi recorded the 12th-fastest time in the SS with some cautious, risk-averse driving and maintained 3rd place overall. Although Yotha suffered a puncture in the rock section, he completed the stage with the 6th-fastest time and held on to 7th place. Koide also made good progress and finished his day in 35th.

LEG 3 was a loop stage that started and ended in Nakhon Sawan. In the SS featuring a mix of various elements—including open countryside and jungle causing drivers to lose their way, as well as high-speed sections—Taguchi clocked his first fastest time of the event and leapt into the lead, albeit by a narrow margin of just 8 seconds. Yotha moved up one place to 6th in the overall standings. Koide, who continued to drive steadily, finished the day 34th.

The rally entered its second half with LEG 4, which ran from Nakhon Sawan to Kamphaeng Phet, situated to the northwest. Taguchi drove this SS —which consisted mainly of jungle tracks and flat farm roads running along foothills—at a steady pace. He extended his gap over the rest of the field and retained the lead.  Yotha hit the right rear of his car in the corner. He was forced to change tire and dropped to 7th.  Koide finished the day without any major problems and moved up to 32nd in the standings.

LEG 5 ran from Kamphaeng Phet to Phitsanulok, the rally’s last base. The route headed north for a while, taking the competitors along flat dirt roads through jungle and farmland.  As the SS scheduled for the final day was short, this penultimate day was critical for Taguchi. With dry conditions prevailing throughout SS5, Taguchi controlled his pace whilst avoiding unnecessary risks, finishing with the 2nd-fastest time on the stage. He extended his lead to 5 minutes 21 seconds heading into the final day in the lead.  Meanwhile, Yotha, who had been pushing hard to make up ground, experienced engine problems partway through the SS. This left him well behind the leading group.  Taking full advantage of the TRITON’s excellent handling, Koide put in a fine performance to clock the 8th-fastest time on the SS, moving up to 28th.

LEG 6, on the final day, took place on a mountainous course stretching across the  northeast of Phitsanulok. As the final day of the rally started in order of the overall standings, Taguchi was first on the road. In the AXCR, where you never know what might happen, a five-minute lead is by no means enough. Whilst starting at the front allows you to drive with a clear view, the absence of tire marks from the car in front also carries the risk to drivers veering off course. Amid mounting tension, Taguchi set off at 10:35. At two-minute intervals, his rivals, hot on his heels, took to the course one after another.  Although Taguchi was overtaken by his rival in 2nd place midway through the course, he capitalized on his lead of around 5 minutes to maintain a composed ride, avoiding mistakes and punctures, and finishing with the 3rd-fastest time on the SS. He secured his first AXCR victory by a margin of 2 minutes 25 seconds.  For Team MITSUBISHI RALLIART, this marks their second consecutive victory following the 2025 event, and the win by a Japanese driver-co-driver pair is a first in the history of the event, now in its 31st iteration. Koide ended the SS 12th and came out in 27th overall, whilst Yotha finished 36th; all three TRITONs successfully completed the rally.

The ceremonial finish took place in spectacular fashion in front of the Chan Royal Palace in Phitsanulok. The squall that had fallen just before the ceremony had completely cleared, and under a blazing sun, the TRITON crew of Taguchi and Yasui—who had secured victory—passed through the gate. This was a hard-earned victory, achieved through the combined efforts of the driver and co-driver —who have continued to hone their skills alongside the new TRITON introduced in 2023—the development team, who continually refined the vehicle to respond to the crew’s effort, and the team members, who maintained the TRITON in perfect condition throughout the six days with meticulous servicing. Team MITSUBISHI RALLIART will utilize the experience and data gained from this event to tackle future challenges.

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