Team Mitsubishi Ralliart Confirms Triton Readiness as It Targets Second Consecutive AXCR Title

At a Glance:

· Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (Mitsubishi Motors) has announced the readiness of Team Mitsubishi Ralliart for the Asia Cross Country Rally (AXCR) 2026, where the team will field three Triton Rally Cars and aim to secure a second consecutive victory.

· Team Mitsubishi Ralliart successfully completed a seven-day endurance test of the Triton Rally Cars on off-road routes around Khao Yai National Park.

· Key upgrades to the Triton Rally Cars include improved front-to-rear weight distribution, suspension fine-tuning, and refined low-to-mid-speed-range engine response for better drivability and off-road performance.

· Team Mitsubishi Ralliart, led by Team Director Hiroshi Masuoka, will field a driver lineup comprising Chayapon Yotha, AXCR Overall Champion in 2022 and 2025, alongside Katsuhiko Taguchi and Kazuto Koide.

· Technical knowledge and insights gained from AXCR will contribute to the development of the All-New Pajero, which is scheduled to make its world premiere in the third quarter of this year.

· AXCR 2026 will take place in Thailand from August 9–15, 2026, covering approximately 2,000 kilometers. The rally will start in Pattaya, Chonburi Province, and finish in Phitsanulok Province.

Bangkok – June 12, 2026: Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (hereinafter, Mitsubishi Motors) announced that Team Mitsubishi Ralliart, which receives technical support from the company, successfully completed a seven-day endurance test in mid-May on off-road courses near Khao Yai National Park in northeastern Thailand. Under conditions simulating the Asia Cross Country Rally (AXCR), the test confirmed the intended performance of the improvements made to the Triton. Team Mitsubishi Ralliart will enter three Triton pickup trucks in AXCR 2026 in Thailand this August, as it aims for a second consecutive title.

AXCR 2026 will cover approximately 2,000 kilometers across six days in the hot, humid climate and demanding terrain typical of Southeast Asia. The course features steep mountainous terrain, narrow and rugged jungle trails, low- to medium-speed rough roads with muddy tracks and river crossings caused by sudden downpours, as well as relatively flat, high-speed unpaved sections such as grasslands and farm tracks.

Aiming to secure back-to-back victories, Team Mitsubishi Ralliart has further unlocked Triton’s potential and improved its dynamic performance so that drivers can tackle AXCR’s highly varied and severe conditions with greater control. With adjustments to the vehicle layout, including the powertrain position, the team improved front-to-rear weight distribution. The suspension was also fine-tuned to increase tire contact at all four wheels, improving steering stability and cornering performance. In addition, engine response in the low-to mid-speed range has been refined to improve drivability and off-road capability.

"The AXCR, where vehicles must run at high speed over a diverse and grueling course, the load imposed on the vehicle body by road impact is said to place, in some cases, more than thirty times greater than in normal customer driving," said Hiroshi Masuoka, team director of Team Mitsubishi Ralliart. "The technical information gainedthrough our participation in the AXCR over the past four years has not only improved the competitiveness of our rally cars, but has also provided valuable insight for strengthening the appeal of our production vehicles. These learnings have been applied not only to the Triton, but also to the all-new Pajero, which will make its world premiere this autumn. Through vehicle development honed through rally activities, Mitsubishi Motors will continue to deliver distinctive and compelling products that reflect Mitsubishi Motors’ identity."

Team Mitsubishi Ralliart

Team Director: Hiroshi Masuoka (Mitsubishi Motors)

Team Principal: Chayut Yangpichit (Tant Sport)

Technical Director: Kopong Amatayakul (Tant Sport)

Drivers and Co-drivers:

Triton Rally Car

Partners (in alphabetical order, current as of June 11, 2026)

Team Mitsubishi Ralliart will compete in AXCR 2026 with the support of the following partners.

Overview of AXCR 2026

AXCR 2026 will be held in Thailand from August 9 to August 15. The rally will begin with a ceremonial start in Pattaya, a coastal resort city in eastern Thailand, and head north through Prachinburi, home to rich natural surroundings including Khao Yai National Park; Nakhon Sawan, the source of the Chao Phraya River; and Kamphaeng Phet, a fortress city of the Sukhothai Kingdom. The rally will finish in Phitsanulok in northern Thailand, known for its natural attractions and historic sites. The total distance is expected to be approximately 2,000 kilometers.

AXCR 2026 Official Website

https://asiacrosscountryrally.com/index.html

Official Ralliart Social Media

X: https://x.com/ralliart_jp

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ralliart.official/

AXCR Special Website: https://www.mitsubishi-motors.com/jp/brand/ralliart/axcr/axcr2026/

FAQs

Q: What is Team Mitsubishi Ralliart's aim for AXCR 2026?

A: Team Mitsubishi Ralliart aims to secure its second consecutive Overall Championship title at AXCR after winning in 2025. The team will field three Triton Rally Cars in this year's competition.

Q: What key upgrades have been made to the 2026 Triton Rally Cars?

A: The 2026 Triton Rally Cars have been enhanced with improved front-to-rear weight distribution, suspension fine-tuning for better tire contact and handling stability, and refined low-to-mid-speed-range engine response to deliver greater drivability and off-road capability across challenging rally conditions.

Q: Who are the drivers representing Team Mitsubishi Ralliart in AXCR 2026?

A: The driver lineup consists of Chayapon Yotha of Thailand, the AXCR Overall Champion in 2022 and 2025; Katsuhiko Taguchi, a leading rally driver; and Kazuto Koide, a Mitsubishi Motors test driver from Japan.

Q: Why is AXCR important to Mitsubishi Motors' vehicle development?

A: AXCR serves as an extreme proving ground that subjects vehicles to demanding and diverse driving conditions. Technical data and insights gained from the rally are applied to the development of Mitsubishi Motors' production vehicles to enhance performance, durability, and driving confidence. These learnings will also contribute to the development of the all-new Pajero, which is scheduled to make its debut in the third quarter of this year.

Q: Where and when will AXCR 2026 take place?

A: AXCR 2026 will be held in Thailand from August 9-15, 2026. The rally will start in Pattaya, Chonburi Province, and finish in Phitsanulok Province.

About Mitsubishi Motors Thailand (MMTh)

Mitsubishi Motors (Thailand) Co., Ltd., the largest facility in the MMC group and an export hub to more than 120 countries, is one of Thailand’s leading automotive companies 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 the Education Academy in Pathum Thani. At the beginning of 2024, the company celebrated a total production of seven million units. MMTh’s current range of vehicles includes the MITSUBISHI TRITON, MITSUBISHI PAJERO SPORT, MITSUBISHI ATTRAGE, MITSUBISHI MIRAGE, MITSUBISHI XPANDER HEV, and MITSUBISHI XPANDER CROSS HEV. And most recently, MMTh underlined its leadership in HEVs with the debut of the ALL-NEW MITSUBISHI XFORCE HEV to the Thai market for the first time, reaffirming its leadership in full-hybrid vehicles. To ensure the highest quality, MMTh uses its proving ground in Si Racha, Chonburi, to assess products from design to product development stages to ensure customers take delivery of vehicles that are second-to-none in all aspects of quality.

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