BANGKOK: Team Mitsubishi Ralliart won the overall victory at the Asia Cross Country Rally (AXCR) 2026, held in Thailand from August 9 to 15.
The team, which receives technical support from Mitsubishi Motors Corp, entered three Mitsubishi Triton pick-up trucks under the T1 or modified cross-country vehicle specifications.
The victory is Team Mitsubishi Ralliart's second consecutive AXCR overall win and the first overall AXCR victory by a Japanese driver and co-driver pairing.
The rally was held over a distance of 2,145.19km, including 921.80km of Special Stages with Katsuhiko Taguchi taking overall victory in a total time of 12 hours 58 minutes 20 seconds.
Kazuto Koide finished 27th, while Chayapon Yotha completed the rally in 36th place overall.
Now in its 31st edition, the AXCR is a historic cross-country rally that traverses Southeast Asia, with Thailand serving as its primary stage.
In recent years, the event has been held exclusively in Thailand, where dense jungles, plantations with repetitive scenery that can easily lead competitors off course.
It also comes with sections strewn with large rocks, river crossings where the driving line is difficult to judge.
Deep, slippery mud ruts, combined with hot and humid conditions also place enormous demands on drivers, team members and their vehicles.
Team Mitsubishi Ralliart secured a hard-fought overall victory against strong rivals in a rally where driving skill, navigational expertise and strong teamwork mattered but yet luck can still influence the outcome.
