Team Mitsubishi Ralliart 2025
Tokyo, July 1, 2025 - Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (hereafter, Mitsubishi Motors) has announced that Team Mitsubishi Ralliart, which receives technical support from the company, will enter three Triton pickup trucks in the upcoming Asia Cross Country Rally (AXCR) 2025, taking place in Thailand* from August 8 to 16.
In recent years, the AXCR has run for six days over approximately 2,000 kilometers (km). Now, marking its 30th edition, the rally expands to an eight-day competition spanning roughly 2,500 km - making it an even more demanding event. Team Mitsubishi Ralliart aims to reclaim the overall title for the first time in three years by fine-tuning the Triton, with enhanced engine durability and chassis refinements.
AXCR Special Website:
https://www.mitsubishi-motors.com/en/brand/ralliart/axcr/axcr2025/
Official Ralliart Social Media Channel
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ralliart.official/
Team Mitsubishi Ralliart is owned by Tant Sport (Thailand) and helmed by Hiroshi Masuoka, a team director from Mitsubishi Motors. Mitsubishi Motors engineers will develop the rally cars and accompany the team to provide technical support during the competition.
The driver and co-driver lineup will continue to feature Chayapon Yotha (Thailand) and Peerapong Sombutwong (Thailand), who took the overall victory in AXCR 2022, along with two Japanese duos - Katsuhiko Taguchi and Takahiro Yasui who placed fifth in AXCR 2024, and Kazuto Koide and Eiji Chiba who made their debut with a strong finish last year.
Chayapon Yotha and Katsuhiko Taguchi will compete for the overall win in vehicles upgraded from last year’s specifications. A Mitsubishi Motors’ employee and test driver, Kazuo Koide, will compete in a vehicle equipped with an automatic transmission optimized for competition. In addition to validating high-performance technologies for future production models, he will play a key role in supporting other team members.
In early June, Team Mitsubishi Ralliart conducted high-load endurance tests simulating actual rally conditions on off-road courses around Khao Yai National Park in central Thailand. The suspension and other chassis components have been fine-tuned while verifying the engine and body’s reliability and durability, all in preparation for the main event.
“This marks our third rally with the new Triton,” said Hiroshi Masuoka, team director of Team Mitsubishi Ralliart. "It has demonstrated its great potential in a wide range of situations, including acceleration performance on high-speed courses, handling on technical courses, and off-road performance on extremely rough terrain such as mud and river crossings. This time, in addition to increasing engine torque and improving durability, we have refined the chassis and other components to create a car capable of winning it all.
Our team has grown in experience and unity, and we are in the best shape yet to reclaim the overall title after three years. So, please stay tuned - we expect great outcomes.”
Team Mitsubishi Ralliart
- Team Director: Hiroshi Masuoka (Mitsubishi Motors)
- Team Principal: Chayut Yangpichit (Tant Sport)
- Technical Director: Kopong Amatayakul (Tant Sport)
- Technical Support (body): Noriyoshi Aiba (Mitsubishi Motors)
- Technical Support (engine): Masataka Tsuiki (Mitsubishi Motors)
- Technical Support (electronic equipment): Tetsuya Furuichi (Mitsubishi Motors)
Drivers and Co-drivers:
- Chayaphon Yotha
- From: Udon Thani Province, Thailand
- Born: August 16, 1987 (37)
- Career: Actively participating in numerous rallies and races in Thailand. In the 2022 AXCR, he brought Team Mitsubishi Ralliart its first victory in its debut appearance.
- Co-driver: Peerapong Sombutwong (Thailand)
- Katsuhiko Taguchi
- From: Okayama Prefecture, Japan
- Born: February 7, 1972 (53)
- Career: An international rally driver who has won the FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship twice. Placing fifth overall in AXCR 2024, this will be his third time competing in the AXCR which he aims for the overall title.
- Co-driver: Takahiro Yasui (Japan)
- Kazuto Koide (Mitsubishi Motors)
- From: Aichi Prefecture, Japan
- Born: June 19, 1979 (46)
- Career: As a test driver for Mitsubishi Motors, he has been responsible for testing many new models, including the Pajero and Lancer Evolution. Currently, he works as a driving instructor for test drivers and as a demonstration driver at events in Japan and around the world. He made his AXCR debut last year, completing the rally while supporting his teammate.
- Co-driver: Eiji Chiba (Japan)
Triton Rally Car
| Yotha/Sombutwong Car Taguchi/Yasui Car |
Koide/Chiba Car | |
|---|---|---|
| Total length x total width | 5,070 mm x 1,995 mm | 5,070 mm x 1,865 mm |
| Wheelbase | 3,130 mm | |
| Tread | 1,730 mm | 1,570 mm |
| Engine | 4N16 (4-cylinder turbo diesel) | |
| Fuel injector | High-pressure common rail | |
| Displacement | 2,439 cc | |
| Turbocharger | Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engine & Turbocharger VG turbocharger |
|
| Maximum output | 160 kW or more | |
| Maximum torque | 500 Nm or more | |
| Exhaust system | HKS AXCR Competition Model | |
| Transmission | 6-speed sequential transmission Moty’s gear oil | 6-speed automatic transmission |
| 4WD system | Full-time 4WD | Super Select 4WD-II |
| Differential | CUSCO front and rear LSD | |
| Front suspension | Independent double-wishbone with coil springs | |
| Rear suspension | Rigid/4-link coil spring | |
| Shock absorbers | CUSCO adjustable front and rear twin dampers | |
| Bump stops | Hydraulic | |
| Steering | Rack and pinion with power assist | |
| Brakes | ENDLESS ventilated discs with monoblock brake calipers and pads, FORTEC racing brake fluid | |
| Wheels | WORK aluminum alloy wheels (17-inch x 7J) | |
| Tires | YOKOHAMA GEOLANDAR M/T G003 (245/75R17) | |
| Other features | Carbon fiber: engine hood, front fenders, front and rear door panels, cargo outer panel | Carbon fiber: engine hood, rear door panels, cargo outer panels |
Partners (in alphabetical order, current as of July 1, 2025)
Team Mitsubishi Ralliart will compete in AXCR 2025 with the support of the following partners.
| Partners | Support |
|---|---|
| CARROSSER Co., Ltd. | Support for development and supply of front & rear suspension and front & rear LSD |
| CARRY ART LLC | Activity support |
| ENDLESS ADVANCE Co., Ltd. | Supply of brake calipers, rotors, and pads |
| ENEOS Corporation | Supply of engine oil |
| Fortec Motorsport Ltd | Supply of racing coolant and brake fluid |
| HANKYU HANSHIN EXPRESS Co., Ltd. | Activity support |
| HKS Co., Ltd. | Technical sponsor for rally engine |
| Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engine & Turbocharger, Ltd. | Technical sponsor for turbocharger |
| Mitsubishi Motors Dealers Association | Activity support |
| TPR Co., Ltd. | Supply of piston rings, activity support |
| TriboJapan Co., Ltd. | Supply of gear oil |
| Work Co., Ltd. | Supply of aluminum alloy wheels (CRAG T-GRABIC II) |
| The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. | Supply of GEOLANDAR M/T G003 mud terrain tires |
Overview of AXCR 2025
AXCR is the largest cross-country rally in the ASEAN region. This year marks the 30th edition of the rally and will kick off with a ceremonial start on August 8 in Pattaya - one of Thailand’s major tourist destinations located on the east coast of the Gulf of Thailand. The route winds throughout Thailand, with the finish line set once again in Pattaya on the 16th. The driving distance has been extended by roughly 500 km from last year to a total of approximately 2,500 km, on a course loaded with changes of terrain including mountainous zones, dense forest areas, and river crossings. With the rally also extended to eight days, the challenge will demand not only improved road handling, but also greater durability.
Official AXCR2025 website:
https://asiacrosscountryrally.com/index_ja.html
* On June 23, the event organizing committee announced that, due to the closure of the Thailand-Cambodia border, this year’s rally will be held entirely within Thailand. According to the committee, overview of the revised route will be announced shortly.
About Mitsubishi Motors
Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (TSE:7211) - a member of the Alliance with Renault and Nissan - is a global automobile company based in Tokyo, Japan, which has about 28,000 employees and a global footprint with production facilities in Japan and the ASEAN region. Mitsubishi Motors has a competitive edge in SUVs, pickup trucks and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and appeals to ambitious drivers willing to challenge convention and embrace innovation. Since the production of our first vehicle more than a century ago, Mitsubishi Motors has been a leader in electrification - launched the i-MiEV, the world’s first mass-produced electric vehicle in 2009, followed by the Outlander PHEV, the world’s first plug-in hybrid electric SUV in 2013. With a target of increasing the sales ratio of electrified vehicles to 100% by 2035, Mitsubishi Motors will deliver models that embody Mitsubishi Motors-ness and contribute to the realization of a carbon-neutral society.
For more information on Mitsubishi Motors, please visit the company's website at
https://www.mitsubishi-motors.com/en/
