Team Mitsubishi Ralliart Claims Back-to-Back Overall Victory At AXCR 2026

Team Mitsubishi Ralliart has taken the overall victory at this year’s Asia Cross Country Rally (AXCR).

Team Mitsubishi Ralliart, backed by technical support from Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, has secured the overall victory at the Asia Cross Country Rally (AXCR) 2026. Held across Thailand from August 9 to 15, the win marks the team’s second consecutive AXCR championship and establishes a historic milestone as the first overall victory by an all-Japanese driver and co-driver pairing in the event’s 31-year history.

Fielding three modified T1-specification Mitsubishi Triton pickup trucks, the team conquered a punishing 2,145.19-kilometer course that included 921.80 km of competitive Special Stages (SS).

Driver Katsuhiko Taguchi and co-driver Takahiro Yasui clinched the overall title in car #106 with a cumulative winning time of 12 hours, 58 minutes, and 20 seconds, finishing 2 minutes and 25 seconds ahead of their nearest rivals.

Navigating Thailand’s Treacherous Terrain and Relentless Elements

The 31st edition of AXCR began with a ceremonial start along Walking Street in Pattaya before pushing competitors through northern Thailand’s most demanding landscapes:

• Leg 1 (Pattaya to Prachin Buri): Heavy seasonal downpours turned eucalyptus and rubber plantations into river-like mud tracks, catching several early runners off guard. Taguchi capitalized on the Triton’s wading capability to finish the opening leg third overall.
• Leg 2 & 3 (Prachin Buri to Nakhon Sawan): Despite stage modifications due to local military exercises, rocky uphill terrain tested vehicle durability. In Leg 3’s navigation-heavy loop through intricate irrigation networks and farm roads, Taguchi set the fastest stage time to capture the overall rally lead.
• Leg 4 & 5 (Nakhon Sawan to Phitsanulok): Navigating through high-speed cassava fields and technical forest tracks around a reservoir, Taguchi and Yasui extended their lead to over five minutes by the conclusion of SS5, the rally’s longest stage.
• Leg 6 (Phitsanulok Finale): A high-elevation mountain stage riddled with deep ruts and rollover risks demanded absolute precision. The Japanese pair adopted a disciplined, risk-managed pace to safely guide the Triton across the finish line.

How the Team Finished: Overall AXCR 2026 Results

Mitsubishi employee driver Kazuto Koide staged a resilient recovery following a timeout penalty on the opening leg, delivering an eighth-fastest stage time on SS5 and providing crucial logistical support to his teammates to place 27th.

Defending champion Chayapon Yotha endured multiple setbacks, including punctures in Leg 2 and Leg 4, as well as mid-rally engine trouble during Leg 5. Despite heavy time penalties, Yotha nursed the Triton home to finish 36th overall, ensuring all three team entries crossed the final podium.

Motorsport Feedback Driving Production Vehicle Durability

Team Director Hiroshi Masuoka praised the collective dedication of the crew, noting that winning back-to-back AXCR titles underscores the engineering foundation of the Triton platform.

The low-rpm torque delivery, revised shift logic, and responsive steering geometry developed for cross-country competition directly inform the engineering of Mitsubishi’s road-going production pickups and SUVs. By proving its mechanical reliability and structural rigidity across deep mud, rocky climbs, and high-speed dirt sections, the Triton reinforces its reputation as a resilient workhorse for motorists navigating demanding conditions across Southeast Asia.