Team Mitsubishi Ralliart Wins Asia Cross Country Rally 2026 for Second Consecutive Year
Team Mitsubishi Ralliart won its second consecutive Asia Cross Country Rally as Katsuhiko Taguchi took overall victory by 2 minutes 25 seconds.
- 2,145.19 km
- 921.80 km
- 12 h 58 m 20 s
- 2 min 25 s
What Happened
Team Mitsubishi Ralliart has won the overall title at the Asia Cross Country Rally (AXCR) 2026, held in Thailand from August 9 to 15. The team, competing with three Triton pickup trucks, secured its second consecutive AXCR victory and the first overall win for a Japanese driver and co-driver pairing. The rally covered 2,145.19 kilometers, including 921.80 km of special stages, and ended with Katsuhiko Taguchi first overall in 12 hours 58 minutes 20 seconds. Leg 2's special stage was shortened from 145.67 km to 67.32 km after military exercises were scheduled on the route. The Triton is sold as the L200 in some markets, and the actual distance was shortened due to course changes.
Rally begins with a ceremonial start on Walking Street in Pattaya, Thailand.
First special stage begins; Leg 1 heads from Pattaya to Prachin Buri.
Final day; Katsuhiko Taguchi wins the rally overall.
- Dense jungles and plantations with repetitive scenery that can lead competitors off course
- Sections strewn with large rocks
- River crossings where the driving line is difficult to judge
- Deep, slippery mud ruts
- Hot and humid conditions
- Numerous similar-looking farm roads and waterways that test navigational skills
- 1st – Katsuhiko Taguchi / Takahiro Yasui (Mitsubishi Triton): 12h 58m 20s
- 27th – Kazuto Koide / Eiji Chiba (Mitsubishi Triton): 20h 58m 30s
- 36th – Chayapon Yotha / Peerapon Sombatwong (Mitsubishi Triton): 34h 48m 43s
“I am extremely proud that a Japanese driver and co-driver pair has won this rally for the first time in the event's history. As a fellow Japanese, I could not be more proud of this achievement.”
Kazuto Koide, driving his third AXCR, got stuck in a ditch on Leg 1 and received a timeout penalty but recovered to finish 27th. Defending champion Chayapon Yotha suffered a puncture on Leg 2, a second tire change after striking the right rear on Leg 4, and engine trouble on Leg 5, yet reached the finish in 36th place. Taguchi and co-driver Takahiro Yasui built a lead of more than five minutes by the end of Leg 5 and won by 2 minutes 25 seconds.
Previously from Mitsubishi Motors Corporation
In prior coverage, Team Mitsubishi Ralliart was reported to be targeting a second straight victory at the Asia Cross Country Rally 2026, planning to race three Triton pickup trucks in Thailand. That pre-race announcement set the context for today's result.
Background drawn from MotorClaw's earlier coverage of Mitsubishi Motors Corporation's official releases.
Why this matters
The victory is the first overall AXCR title for a Japanese driver and co-driver pair, and it extends Team Mitsubishi Ralliart's winning streak in the 31-year-old cross-country rally. Mitsubishi Motors says extreme competition helps develop production vehicles, contributing to the confidence and safety of its cars, and gives its engineers valuable training.
Terms in This Story
- AXCR
- Asia Cross Country Rally, an annual cross-country rally held in Southeast Asia with Thailand as its primary stage.
- Special Stage (SS)
- A timed section of a rally course where competitors race against the clock; overall times determine the winner.
- T1 specification
- A modified cross-country vehicle class in rally competition, referring here to the Triton pickup trucks.
- Cross-country rally
- A form of off-road motorsport raced over long distances, typically on unpaved terrain.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.