Team Mitsubishi Ralliart Takes on Asia Cross Country Rally 2025 with Three Triton Rally Cars

Bangkok – 1 July 2025: Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (hereinafter, 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), 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 30^th 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 Mitsubishi Triton, with enhanced engine durability and chassis refinements.

 

AXCR Special Website:
https://www.mitsubishi-motors.com/jp/brand/ralliart/axcr/axcr2025/

 

Official Ralliart Social Media Channels

X: https://x.com/ralliart_jp

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

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

 

 

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.

 

 

 

Overview of AXCR 2025

AXCR is the largest cross-country rally in the ASEAN region. This year marks the 30^th 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 16^th. 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 Thailand (MMTh)

Mitsubishi Motors (Thailand) Co., Ltd., the largest plant in the MMC group and an export hub to more than 120 countries, is one of Thailand’s leading automotive manufacturers committed to produce and sell a range of vehicles that are eco-friendly, high in quality, performance, safety, comfort, technology and customer satisfaction. In 2018, MMTH officially opened Education Academy in Pathum Thani and celebrated a total production of six million units at the beginning of 2021. MMTh’s current range of vehicles includes MITSUBISHI TRITON, MITSUBISHI PAJERO SPORT, MITSUBISHI ATTRAGE, MITSUBISHI MIRAGE, MITSUBISHI XPANDER, MITSUBISHI XPANDER CROSS and MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER PHEV. To ensure the highest quality, MMTh uses its proving ground in Si Racha, Chonburi to assess products from design and prototype stages to pre-production and commercialization. This ensures customers take delivery of vehicles that are second-to-none in all aspects of quality.

• Please contact Mitsubishi dealers nationwide for more information and test driving, or contact Mitsubishi Call Center Tel. 02-079-9500 24 hours daily.
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