Hino continued to build on its astounding record of 33 starts and 33 finishes in the gruelling Dakar Rally which finished in Yanbu, Saudi Arabia on January 19. Hino’s record goes back to the 1991 Dakar Rally.

A bonneted Hino 600, driven by Teruhito Sugawara and entered by the Hino Sugawara Team, finished sixth overall out of 20 finishers from an original field of 46 trucks. This was the first time in the past five years that the Hino has been able to finish in the top 10 in a field of mostly trucks with much larger engines. The previous top 10 placing was ninth in 2019.

Once again Hino was the only Japanese truck competing in this world-renowned rally-raid with the remainder of the field made up mainly of European trucks from most of the major manufacturers. This year’s route consisted of a prologue to ascertain starting positions and then 12 days of racing split by a rest day. Total distance of the 2024 Dakar was 7 891 km, with 4 727 km of timed racing stages. This included a 600 km timed special stage over two days in the so-called Empty Quarter, described as the “Valley of Death, with sand dunes as far as the eye could see.

The Hino Sugawara team continues to develop the racing truck each year and its performance is outstanding when one considers most of its opposition have 13-litre or larger engines, while the Hino’s six-cylinder turbocharged engine is just under 10 litres in capacity. The Hino 600 bonneted truck is sold only in North America, but it is basically the same as the forward control Hino 500-Series range sold in Africa.

Due to changes in the Dakar Rally rules regarding hybrid trucks the Hino did not make use of the hybrid diesel-electric powertrain it has used in the previous two races. However, this meant there was a weight saving of 400 kg which made a big difference to the truck’s performance.

WELL DONE TO HINO TEAM SUGAWARA!

TLC competed in the Stock (Production Car) category with two Land Cruiser 300 GR SPORT (diesel engine) rally cars. Akira Miura and Mayeul Barbet in Car #500 reached the finish 118th overall in the Cars category and 1st in the Stock (Production Car) category. Ronald Basso and Jean-Michel Polato in Car #501 reached the finish 120th overall and 2nd in the category. With these results, the cumulative rankings for Car #500 are 81st overall and a victory in the Stock (Production Car) category. Car #501 ranked 109th overall and achieved a 2nd place finish in the category. TLC has achieved an unprecedented 11th consecutive victory in their category with a one-two finish.

In recent years, the Dakar Rally has been set up to suit the large number of vehicles that participate in the modified and lightweight SSV classes, resulting in courses that are challenging to drive on for rally cars that are based on production vehicles. A new stage, “THE 48H CHRONO STAGE”, was introduced in this rally, where participants must drive for two consecutive days to clear one stage, added to the challenge. The Land Cruiser 300 made its debut in the previous Dakar Rally and demonstrated its high driving performance, but there were some issues due to the challenges associated with its speed. In this year’s rally, TLC implemented countermeasures to address areas such as the engine air intake system and rear suspension. The tires were also improved, enhancing durability and driving performance. And, thanks to the meticulous maintenance work of the mechanics each day, Car #500 was able to clear all stages without stopping even once due to car trouble. TLC won their 11th consecutive victory in the Stock (Production Car) category in a one-two finish, with Car #501 following in 2nd place; a remarkable achievement that adds to the already impressive record of the team.

Miura (driver): As far as I’m aware, this was the hardest Dakar Rally to date. Our ability to clear it inspires confidence. and I can feel our evolution. Until now, Laurent, who passed away last year, had always helped me; I want him to tell him that we had a solid run this year.

Basso (driver): I’m so happy to be driving with TLC in this Dakar Rally. The route was harder than anything we’ve seen, and it’s a pity that we had to retire for the day, but this was an excellent Dakar Rally for me.

• Stage victory for Lucas Moraes and Armand Monleon
• 16th on stage for Giniel de Villiers and Dennis Murphy
• 17th on stage for Seth Quintero and Dennis Zenz
• 21st on stage for Saood Variawa and Francois Cazalet
• 32nd on stage for Guy Botterill and Brett Cummings
• Lucas and Armand up into 4th overall

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing celebrated its first stage victory at Dakar 2024, courtesy of Lucas Moraes and Armand Monleon, who won the tough third stage in their GR Hilux EVO T1U. The pair started the stage, which took the crews from the bivouac at Al Duwadimi to the town of Al Salamiya, as the ninth car on the road, but powered to a stage win thanks to a clean run with no punctures, as well as pin-point navigation by Armand.

Lucas and Armand took the stage win by just 9sec over their nearest competitor, despite a highly challenging stage of 438km. Their performance not only bagged them the stage win, together with a good haul of W2RC points, but also pushed them up the overall standings to 4th place. Their deficit to the overall leader is now 9min 17sec. Remarkably, the race leader – Yazeed Al Rajhi – is driving a near-identical, privately entered Toyota Hilux T1U.

Stage 3 brought trouble for TGR’s Giniel de Villiers and co-driver, Dennis Murphy. They suffered two punctures early in the stage and were forced to slow down significantly. Unfortunately, they were then also stuck in the dust of the cars that had passed them while they changed the tyres, compounding their problems. The best they could muster in the circumstances was the 16th-fastest time, 19min 42sec behind Lucas and Armand. As far as the overall standings go, they now find themselves in 14th place, 36min 56sec behind the leaders after three stages.

While Giniel and Dennis were disappointed with their Stage 3 result, they suffered one fewer puncture than teammates Seth Quintero and Dennis Zenz. The American driver lost three tyres over the course of the stage and was forced to wait for assistance in order to continue. Assistance arrived swiftly, however, in the form of Lucas and Armand, who paused briefly to hand one of their spares to their teammates, before setting off again. This show of camaraderie may well have cost Lucas and Armand their stage win, given the narrow margin at the top of the standings, but their good deed was rewarded, and Seth/Dennis were able to continue.

Even though Seth and Dennis had one fresh tyre on their car, they still had to be cautious over the closing kilometres, and in the end, they lost 22min 42sec on the day. This dropped them down the order and out of the Top 10 in the overall standings, where they now trail the race leaders by 27min 18sec.

Stage 3 also brought a challenge for TGR’s young gun, Saood Variawa, and his French co-driver, Francois Cazalet. With that said, the pair started the day as the 40th car on the road but fought their way through the dust of slower cars and into 21st place on the stage. They also struggled with navigation in two places, having to double-back to find certain waypoints. But despite this, they relinquished only 23min 37sec to the stage winners, and are in 18th place in the overall standings.

TGR’s final crew, Guy Botterill and co-driver, Brett Cummings, had a great start to Dakar 2024, but Stage 3 bit hard. The pair had their first puncture barely 50km into the special stage; and a second 100km further on. This forced them into survival mode, as they were out of spares, only to suffer a third puncture 150km from the finish. Luckily this one didn’t fully deflate the tyre, and the crew were able to nurse their GR Hilux EVO T1U home by stopping to top up the tyre repeatedly. They lost 31min 53sec in the process but are still in 17th place overall.

Stage 3 was also the start of a ‘mini-Marathon’ stage for the race, as the technical crews were given only two hours to repair and prepare the cars for Stage 4. To compound the challenge, the race crews camped at a remote bivouac without the support of their teams after Stage 3, before taking on the next stage. This will consist of a liaison of 198km, joining the remote bivouac at Al Salamiya with the start of the route. Next up will be a timed section of 299km, run mainly on dirt tracks, with a small dune section in the mix. Finally, the crews will cover a second liaison of 201km to reach the bivouac at Al-Hofuf.

QUOTES:

Shameer Variawa, SVR Team Principal:
“Any day where you win a Dakar stage is a good one, and I would like to congratulate Lucas and Armand on winning a very tough stage indeed. For the rest of our crews, the day was largely ruined by punctures, though we were happy to see them all at the two-hour service without any major mechanical problems. While they are a bit further back than we’d have liked, this has been a particularly tough start to the race, and reaching this point without any problems is testament to the toughness of our GR Hilux EVO T1U.”

Lucas Moraes:
“It is really unbelievable! But the day goes to Armand. The navigation was insanely hard, but we hit our marks. I just managed to keep the car in one piece and no punctures, with a good rhythm for sure. But Armand was really on point, and we must thank the whole team. One more, one less day, as we say in Brazil, and I gotta keep going!”

Seth Quintero:
“I didn’t want to play the ‘rubber band game’ today, but unfortunately got unlucky with a couple of punctures and that kinda just ruined our day, to be honest. But there’s a long way to go and I can’t get too upset. I mean, we’re here. We didn’t lose too much time. We’re probably still up there. So yeah, I think just got a little unlucky today. Just need some luck on our side. Hopefully tomorrow we’re up there, but I don’t want to continue playing this flip flop game. We’ve been off the podium every other day. So, maybe tomorrow we’ll get back on the podium, and hopefully we can keep it that way for the rest of the rally.”

Guy Botterill:
“That was really difficult for us. Around 50 km in we got a puncture, and then maybe another 100km later, we got another puncture and then we were out of spare wheels. With about 130km to go we had another flat, but we were watching it on the monitoring system. The tyre was going down slowly, so we had to keep on stopping and putting air in the tyre. We weren’t racing today – we were surviving.”

Giniel de Villiers:
“Yeah, another tough day. Unfortunately, we had two punctures after 70km, and then it was party over. Then, we were in the dust, and I just had to cruise. It was impossible to push, because if you have another flat tyre, you have a big problem. You won’t see the end. So, yeah, it was very frustrating. But anyway, we made it to the end.”

Saood Variawa:
“It has been a tough three tough three days so far! Today, we went into the stage and wanted to up our pace to catch the guys ahead. Which we did in the first part of it. I mean, we caught quite a few guys and overtook them. Unfortunately, there were two waypoints that were a bit tricky. We lost quite a bit of time there, and also in the last one that we couldn’t find. We came back through a canyon and one of the other competitors overtook us, so we were stuck in his dust from then on.”

DAKAR 2024 – STAGE 3 RESULTS

DAKAR 2024 – STANDINGS AFTER STAGE 3

08 January 2024

SETH STRONG ON SECOND STAGE, AS TGR CONTINUES GOOD FORM AT DAKAR 2024

• 3rd on stage for Seth Quintero and Dennis Zenz
• 9th on stage for Lucas Moraes and Armand Monleon
• 13th on stage for Guy Botterill and Brett Cummings
• 22nd on stage for Giniel de Villiers and Dennis Murphy
• 31st on stage for Saood Variawa and Francois Cazalet

Stage 2 of Dakar 2024 was another stern test, contested over a timed section of 463km. This, together with liaisons totalling 192km, brought the rally to the bivaouc at Al Duwadimi. Once the dust had settled over the Saudi Landscape, and the times were tallied, it was Seth Quintero and Dennis Zenz who shone for TOYOTA GAZOO Racing. The American driver and his German co-driver set the third-fastest time on the stage, finishing just 3min 11sec behind the stage winners. This power performance sees the GR Hilux EVO T1U driver move up into 4th place in the general standings after two stages.

Lucas Moraes and Armand Monleon also had a strong second stage, setting the 9th-fastest time. The pair started the stage as the 6th car on the road, which made navigation somewhat challenging, as most of the front-runners lost time on the day. The TGR crew managed to maintain a good pace throughout the rally’s second stage, restricting their time-loss to 17min 51sec, and they are in 8th place in the overall standings, just 12min 17sec behind the leaders.

Stage 2 of Dakar 2024 also brought a second consecutive solid stage for Dakar rookie Guy Botterill, who is partnered with Brett Cummings for this race. Guy, who hails from Durban on South Africa’s east coast, finished the stage 22min 41sec behind the winners, recording the 13th-fastest time on the day. This sees the pair in 13th place, 17min 21sec adrift of the lead.

TGR’s Dakar veteran, Giniel de Villiers, started Stage 2 as the third car on the road. This put significant pressure on his co-driver, Dennis Murphy, as the front-runners had a tough time identifying the route. The navigational challenges cost the pairing some time, and they also had to stop to change a wheel. They dropped down the order to 22nd on the day, relinquishing 29min 55sec to the leaders in the process. As a result of this, they now find themselves in 14th place overall, less than a couple of minutes behind teammates Guy and Brett. The winner of the 2009 edition of the race will be aiming to improve on this position over the coming days, and he has been positive that the GR Hilux EVO T1U is the best tool for the job at hand.

The final TGR pairing consists of Dakar rookie, Saood Variawa and co-driver Francois Cazalet. The pair started the stage as the 11th car on the road, but quickly fell foul to the dust of the cars ahead of them. They had a tough time coping with the reduced visibility in the rocky terrain, and lost 39min 26sec over the course of the second stage. This puts them in 19th place after two stages, and while they are 35min 01sec behind the leaders, Dakar 2024 has already served up two tough stages, and there are more to come. As such, anything can still happen, and the young driver will take every opportunity to build experience over the course of the race.

The two opening stages have proven successful not only for the TGR team, but also for Toyota as a whole. Stage 1 was won by Guillaume de Mevius and Xavier Panseri, who campaign a privately entered Toyota Hilux. The pair are in 5th place after two stages, just 7min 44sec behind the leaders. At the same time, the privately entered Toyota Hilux of Yazeed al Rajhi and Timo Gottschalk is in second place overall after Stage 2, thanks to two exceptional stage performances by the Saudi driver and his German co-driver.

The crews will take on a version of the Dakar’s traditional Marathon Stage next, when they race away from the bivouac at Al Duwadimi to a remote camp at Al Salamiya. There, they will have a reduced service of two hours, during which the team’s technical crews can work on the cars in order to prepare them for the following day. This ‘light’ Marathon Stage comes earlier in the race than ever before but may well have a significant impact on the outcome.

At 438km in length, the timed section is sure to test the crews yet again. But this time, the emphasis will be on preserving their cars for the return leg, which will take them to the bivouac at Al Hofuf, as the two hour service window won’t allow for any major repairs. Stage 3 is expected to bring largely gravel tracks in terms of terrain, and the cars starting further down the order may well have an advantage yet again. The Rest Day for Dakar 2024 will take place in the Saudi capital of Riyadh on Saturday, January 13th, but the team is concentrating on the upcoming stages, rather than the brief respite offered by the Rest Day. The race will finish in the coastal city of Yanbu on January 19th.

QUOTES:

Shameer Variawa, SVR Team Principal:
“We had another good stage today, with all our GR DKR Hilux EVOs completing the stage without any mechanical problems. This is always gratifying, as it shows that our detailed preparation of the cars is paying off, and it gives our drivers the confidence needed to race in the toughest automotive challenge in the world. Tomorrow, we start the first part of the Marathon Stage, and we will be hoping for another clean run by all of our crews.”

Alain Dujardyn, W2RC Team Principal:
“Yesterday, it was Lucas and Armand who banked their first W2RC points. Today it was the turn of Seth and Dennis, who drove an amazing stage to go third-fastest. At the same time, I would like to congratulate both Guillaume De Mevius and Yazeed Al Rajhi with their performances over the last two days. To see Guillaume win the opening stage of the rally in a Toyota Hilux was very gratifying from a brand point of view; and to have Yazeed in second place overall is fantastic.”

Seth Quintero:
“It feels amazing to come third on the stage today. It’s been a little bit of a wild ride. First day we showed a lot of speed and second day, I think I banked on the guys making too many mistakes, so I just kind of relaxed. Also understanding that it is Dakar and we got 13 or so more days to go, I didn’t want to push early on. So, today I wanted to go out and have some fun. I started right behind Loeb again, which in my mind is one of the better spots to be, and caught him pretty early on and just locked onto his bumper. We had a lot of cars to pass together. I was kind of just laughing. I’m like, man, this is a surreal feeling being right behind this guy and we’re working around. And I knew we had a good pace. We were moving pretty good. And I had Stefan (Peterhansel) right behind me and he was absolutely going for it. And all three of us were within seconds. It felt good to finally lead something. Like I said, I had a lot of doubt in my mind coming to this race. I’ve been a T3 guy my whole life and you never know stepping up to the big guns. But the whole TOYOTA GAZOO Racing team has been doing such an amazing job, making me feel at home, making me feel comfortable. And I will say this car is an absolute beast. So, looking forward to the rest of the couple weeks and gonna have some fun.”

Lucas Moraes:
“Yeah, feeling great to be honest. It was actually a hard stage. Of course, less stones, rocky compared to yesterday, but still very hard. But we managed, even though we were basically opening the stage, we were the third or fourth car on the road, the majority of the stage, it was really hard to see the lines. But we managed, Armand did a great job finding our way through it. And another top ten, which is important. We are just 12 minutes out of the lead of the rally, so everything is tight.”

Guy Botterill:
“Yeah, that was a good run for us. Right in the beginning we went into some difficult dunes. Well, I thought they were difficult. So yeah, we took our time finding our feet, but I think it was alright. Yazeed (Al Rajhi) overtook us fairly quickly and we tried to stay with him, but his pace is quite quick in the dunes and I didn’t really want to take that sort of risk. So, we backed off a bit and then after that it opened up into some really fast tracks with lots of blind rises. And it was very difficult to find the road. You know, yesterday we were a long way down the track. So, there were a lot more cars on the road than there were today, making navigation difficult. Brett did a fantastic job. A lot of the times I had no idea where we were, and Brett kept us on the road. There’s a lot more speed if we needed it, but we were very cautious not to make mistakes and being relatively high up on the road, I think we did a really great job.”

Giniel de Villiers:
“It’s quite tricky. We had quite a few places where we went wrong for quite a bit. Your confidence suffers a bit when the navigation is difficult. It’s extremely difficult at the front of the field, we saw that yesterday. Tomorrow is going to be the same again. We’re starting a little bit further back, which should be good for tomorrow. We had a tyre come off the rim today, and I really had to take it careful in the rocks. If you get another puncture, then it’s a big problem. We lost quite a bit of time today, but I’m not too concerned. It’s still a very long way to go.”

Saood Variawa:
“It wasn’t as tough as yesterday. It was slightly longer, so a very long time in the car. But we had a dune section in the start which I really wasn’t comfortable with yet. And we took it very, very easy there. And after that we were going but we ran into a lot of dust and I didn’t want to take any risks. So, we’re hanging back and unfortunately that’s how we lost all our time. But at least we’re here and tomorrow is another day.”

DAKAR 2024 – STAGE 2 RESULTS

DAKAR 2024 – STANDINGS AFTER STAGE 2

07 January 2024

STUNNING OPENING STAGE FOR TGR IN SAUDI ARABIA

• 3rd on stage for Giniel de Villiers and Dennis Murphy
• 6th on stage for Lucas Moraes and Armand Monleon
• 7th on stage for Guy Botterill and Brett Cummings
• 11th on stage for Saood Variawa and Francois Cazalet
• 19th on stage for Seth Quintero and Dennis Zenz
• 6 Toyota Hilux in Top 10

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing started its Dakar 2024 campaign in style, with four of its five crews finishing in the Top 10. Stage 1 was a tricky test of 414 km, with a final liaison of 46 km bringing the cars to the bivouac at Al Henakiyah. It was a power performance by the works GR Hilux EVO T1U crews, and the team finds itself in a strong position for Stage 2.

Giniel de Villiers and co-driver, Dennis Murphy, were the pick of the bunch, despite starting the race in 68th position after a tough Prologue. The pair powered through the field, and despite having to stop for a minor field repair to their car, they set the third-fastest time on the opening stage. Their deficit to the overall leader was only 9min 18sec, but their starting position for Stage 2 may pose some challenges as a result.

Brazilian Lucas Moraes and his Spanish co-driver, Armand Monleon, made the most of the tough stage the pair drove at a measured pace, but suffered a right-front puncture shortly before the mid-point of the stage. Despite this setback, the TGR crew powered to a sixth-place finish on the stage, trailing the leaders by 13min 25sec. It was a dream start to the Dakar for rookie Guy Botterill. Partnered with the experienced Brett Cummings as co-driver, the South African started his first-ever Dakar Rally in fine style. The former rally driver set a blistering pace throughout the stage, climbing as high as second overall, before dropping down to 7th place shortly before the end of the stage, following a problem with a suspension part.

At the same time, rookie driver Saood Variawa recorded a perfectly clean run – no punctures, no problems. The young South African, partnered with Frenchman, Francois Cazalet, not only completed his first ever Dakar stage, but also set the 11th-fastest time in the process. It was a powerful statement from one of the youngest works drivers in the history of the race. Seth Quintero and co-driver, Dennis Zenz, recorded a largely uneventful stage. They suffered one puncture early on, but then settled into a cautious pace that allowed them to bring the GR Hilux EVO T1U home safely, setting the 19th-fastest time on the day. They are 23min 24sec behind the leaders, well within striking distance if the conditions allow. The pair will be eager to start a climb up the leader board over the next few stages.

Next up is Stage 2, which takes the rally from the bivouac at Al Henakiyah to the town of Al Duwadimi, via a timed stage of 463 km. A liaison of 73 km will take the crews from the bivouac to the start of the stage, while a 119 km liaison will take them from the end of the stage to the next bivouac.

QUOTES:

Shameer Variawa, SVR Team Principal:
“Stage 1 was a very good one for the team. All five our GR Hilux EVOs performed extremely well, and there were very few technical issues along the way. I’m very pleased with our results today, and can only hope for more of these days over the next two weeks.”

Alain Dujardyn, W2RC Team Principal:
“The opening stage of this year’s Dakar was quite an eventful one. I must congratulate Giniel and Dennis on their stellar performance; and also Lucas and Armand on banking their first W2RC points. We’re excited about the upcoming stages, and hope that our crews continue to make the best of their GR Hilux EVOs. It was also gratifying to see six Toyota Hiluxes in the Top 10 after Stage 1.”

Giniel de Villiers:
“A very tough day! I’m just glad we finished in the daylight. You know we started quite late, we started as the 68th car on the road. So, I knew today was going to be very tricky in the dust and I don’t know how many cars we passed, but it was many. We lost a little bit of time with a minor field repair to our car, but other than that, we had a clean day. We are very happy to be here, and very happy with the result. Obviously, with the dust, we lost a lot of time, so our result could have been even better. But we’ll take third on the stage, that’s for sure!”

Lucas Moraes:
“A very tough, physically demanding stage. Also tough for the car, and we got a puncture in the middle of the race because we were in the dust the whole time. But the car is perfect and the team delivered a great car. We’re very happy with our results from the first stage.”

Guy Botterill:
“Well in the beginning we didn’t see much because we were just covered in dust, but then it opened up quite nicely. Then we entered what looked like the moon. It was lava flows and huge rocks and boulders and it was very strange as we were there by ourselves and it was very difficult to judge the pace, so we took it easy. Once it opened up again, it was very comfortable in the car and everything was going well. Unfortunately, just 7km before the finish, we had a technical issue with a suspension part, so we lost a bit of time there but I’m really happy to be at the end of stage one at the Dakar.”

Saood Variawa:
“It was quite something! I mean honestly, I didn’t expect it to be that difficult. The first 250kms were good, and we kept a decent pace. We got stuck in the dust of a side-by-side for a while, but nonetheless we made it to the end, and I’m looking forward to Stage 2.”

Seth Quintero:
“Yeah, I mean, all things considered, I don’t think it was the toughest start for us at least. Five hours out and it was rocks the size of soccer balls the whole time. So, I mean, it was one of those stages where I knew a lot of the top dogs were playing it smart with the experience they have, and I’m just trying to follow along, learning every day. The car felt comfortable all day long, and we had no issues. Unfortunately, we had one little puncture, but it is what it is that’s gonna happen when you’re driving over rocks at high speeds.”

DAKAR 2024 – STAGE 1 RESULTS

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• New Toyota GR DKR Hilux EVO T1U breaks cover for 2024 season
• 5 crews confirmed for Dakar 2024 – blending youth and experience to defend 2023 title
• 2 crews to campaign full 2024 W2RC season

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing (TGR) will be competing in 2024 with the updated version of its Dakar-winning car, now known as the GR DKR Hilux EVO T1U – a name that reflects both the upgrades to the car and the new W2RC categorisation.

The team will enter five crews at Dakar 2024, including two rookie drivers taking on the world’s toughest automotive rally. This will be the largest team that TGR has ever fielded at the iconic Dakar Rally, mixing unparalleled experience in the form of Giniel de Villiers with the undeniable pace of Lucas Moraes and Seth Quintero.

Finally, the team has also confirmed that both Lucas and Seth, together with their co-drivers, will be competing in the 2024 season of FIA World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC).

Dakar 2024 will be Round 1 of the 2024 W2RC, and as such it will be a critical rally for TGR’s two confirmed W2RC crews: Lucas Moraes and Armand Monleon, as well as Seth Quintero and Dennis Zenz.

These two crews will be keen to get their W2RC campaign off to a solid start, with four rounds following the season-opening Dakar Rally. These events are:

• Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge (25 February-2 March, 2024)
• BP Ultimate Rally-Raid in Portugal (2-7 April, 2024)
• Desafio Ruta 40 in Argentina (2-8 June, 2024)
• Rally of Morocco (5-11 October, 2024)

While these two crews will be fighting for victory in the W2RC after the Dakar Rally, the three South African drivers will be taking on the highly competitive and exciting South African Rally-Raid Series (SARRC), which also serves as the main testing programme for the continuous development of the GR DKR Hilux EVO T1U.

Lucas Moraes was the revelation of Dakar 2023, running in second place for most of the rally in a privately entered Toyota Hilux, but eventually settling for third overall – making him one of the most successful rookies in the history of the Dakar Rally. This year, the young Brazilian will be paired with Armand Monleon from Spain, who initially competed in the Dakar on a bike, before switching first to SSVs and now to the top flight of rally-raid racing.

They will have Seth Quintero and co-driver Dennis Zenz for company throughout the year. Seth has been described as a rally-raid prodigy, and one of the biggest talents in the current pool of emerging drivers. His undeniable pace, together with a depth of experience that belies his youth, makes him one of the hottest properties in the bivouac, and TGR is excited to see what the fast, young driver can achieve from behind the wheel of the new GR DKR Hilux EVO T1U. Seth will have German co-driver, Dennis Zenz, beside him in the car, and will be looking forward to completing their fourth Dakar together.

Both these youthful crews will be looking to draw on the experience offered to the team by Giniel de Villiers, who won the Dakar Rally in 2009. Giniel has an unparalleled record in the event, having completed 20 Dakars to date. He has finished in the Top 10 19 times, achieved eight podium finishes and 15 Top 5 finishes. He will again be partnered with Dennis Murphy from South Africa, as he has been since Dakar 2022. The pair also won the SARRC title together in 2022.

They will be joined by young racing sensation, Saood Variawa and his co-driver, Francois Cazalet. Saood competes for TOYOTA GAZOO Racing SA in the Global Touring Car Championship in South Africa; and also drives a Toyota Hilux T1+ as part of the South African SARRC squad. Despite his youth (Saood is only 18 years old, and amongst the youngest works drivers ever to race at the Dakar Rally), the Johannesburg-based driver has a depth of experience, and will be looking forward to tackling the Dakar Rally for the first time in 2024. His father, Shameer, completed two Dakar Rallies as part of the same team, and Saood will be keen to follow in his father’s footsteps.

The final crew in the line-up is Guy Botterill and co-driver Brett Cummings. Cummings is a familiar face in the team, as he usually co-drives for Henk Lategan, who cannot compete due to a shoulder injury following a heavy crash in South Africa earlier in the year. Guy will be facing his first Dakar Rally and will be hoping that Brett’s experience on the event will stand him in good stead. Guy has an impressive record in South African rallies and moved across to the rally-raid discipline full-time during 2023. He finished as runner-up in the SARRC this year, narrowly missing out on a title.

New GR DKR Hilux EVO T1U
The new car is 100 mm wider than its predecessor and incorporates several refinements. The suspension has seen specific attention and the air conditioning unit has been relocated for more efficiency. In addition, the car has been fitted with a new cooling package, allowing for greater redundancy.

Toyota’s focus on quality, durability and reliability was a key factor in the development of the new car.

As such, the car has been in constant development throughout the year and TGR’s crews have completed nearly 30,000km of racing and testing in 2023 season of W2RC and SARRC.

Additional tests were conducted in the Kalahari Desert in southern Africa, and considerable test mileage was added in the Namib Desert as part of its final preparations for the Dakar Rally, leading into next year’s W2RC.

Newly-developed biofuel
At the same time, the team has also been integrating its plans for a more sustainable future, with an eye on the Dakar Future project. As part of its commitment to this project, the TGR Dakar Team has partnered with Repsol, to attain the required targets well ahead of the 2026 deadline.

Repsol supplies fuels to TGR with 70% renewable content, using advanced biofuels with a reduction of the carbon footprint of at least 70%, compared to conventional gasoline. These renewable fuels have been designed and produced at the Repsol Technology Lab in Madrid from renewable waste material, such as used cooking oil. They have been produced in installations certified under the ISCC EU sustainability scheme, and the raw materials as well as the production processes comply with the sustainability requirements under in the European Renewable Energy Directive.

TGR has been an extensive research and development partner to Repsol over the last 18 months; first bench-testing and then extensively field testing the Repsol Renewable Fuel 70R+ in various locations, with the final pre-Dakar tests concluding recently in Namibia. The blend used by the team was formulated exclusively for TGR, in accordance with the FIA’s regulations.

Dakar 2024 is set to start on January 5th, with a short prologue near the northern city of Alula. Six tough stages will follow the prologue, including an innovative ’48 hour Chrono’ stage, which is essentially an extended marathon stage. This will be followed by the traditional rest day, which again takes place in the Saudi capital of Riyadh (January 13th, 2024). Six more stages will take the rally back towards the northern part of the country, before the event comes to an end in the coastal city of Yanbu, on January 19th.

QUOTES:
Alain Dujardyn, TGR W2RC Team Principal:
“To have achieved everything we did in 2023 is an amazing feeling. We won the Dakar Rally, as well as the W2RC titles for a second successive year, thanks to our highly durable and reliable GR DKR Hilux T1+, as well as the skills and dedication of Nasser Al-Attiyah and Mathieu Baumel. Now, we stand at the start of a new chapter, with our GR DKR Hilux EVO T1U, which promises to raise the bar yet again. Not only that, but we are fortunate to have one of the most competitive driver line-ups in the bivouac, and we simply cannot wait to go racing again. We are excited about the future and look forward to 2024 as our new crews grow into their roles as TGR works drivers. At the same time, we are counting on the experience of Giniel and Dennis, as well as all our technical staff, to guide and nurture our new talents into the future.”

Andrea Carlucci, Vice President, Product strategy & Marketing, Toyota Motor Europe:
“We are excited to start the 2024 W2RC with our largest team ever at Dakar, and I’m looking forward to following Seth and Dennis, and Lucas and Armand on their journey with the new GR DKR Hilux EVO T1U.

Glenn Crompton, Vice-President, Marketing: Toyota South Africa Motors:
“The Dakar Rally has a reputation as the toughest automotive rally on the planet, and as such it is the perfect place for us to prove the quality, durability and reliability of our Toyota Hilux. We’ve been working hard to make our GR DKR Hilux EVO T1U even better than its predecessor, and I look forward to seeing the new car in action early in January. “

Lucas Moraes:
“Dakar 2023 was an amazing experience for me. Finishing on the podium at my first attempt was simply amazing, and while it would have been nice to stay in second place to the end, I was ecstatic with third place, too. More importantly, it gives me confidence that I am capable of sustaining the necessary pace over the entirety of the rally and look forward to competing strongly in Dakar 2024. At the same time, I have learnt a lot from my various racing activities this year, and I’m looking forward to expanding on this as part of TGR’s W2RC squad for 2024.”

Seth Quintero:
“Stepping up from SSVs to the fastest rally-raid cars in the world is very exciting for me. I’ve basically come through the ranks, and 2024 will be my first chance to compete with all the biggest names in the sport. The new version of the GR DKR Hilux EVO T1U has impressed me, and I’m confident that we’ll be able to take the fight to the competition from the get-go.”

Giniel de Villiers:
“The Dakar Rally is undoubtedly the highlight of the year. One of the things that make it so exciting for me, is the fact that I’m closely involved with the development of each new version of the Hilux, and to see it all come together at the rally is very satisfying. I remain as competitive as ever and will be aiming for a solid performance come January. I know the car is good, the team is good, and I am inspired to give Dakar 2024 my best shot.”

Saood Variawa:
“I’m so excited about taking on the Dakar Rally for the first time. I’ve been learning a lot about rally-raid racing this year, and constantly finding ways to improve, especially in the dunes. My experience with the new GR DKR Hilux EVO T1U has been limited but very positive. The car is simply superb, and I can’t wait to go racing in Saudi Arabia.”

Guy Botterill:
“To me, taking part in my first Dakar Rally is a life-long dream that has come true. I’m a fairly new rally-raid convert, having come from the world of rallying. Even so, I feel confident with the car as I’ve been racing it all year in the SARRC. Now, it is time to step up to the biggest rally of them all, and I’m excited to have Brett beside me in the car. His experience will be invaluable, as we aim to finish Dakar 2024.”

206 – Lucas Moraes / Armand Monleon

209 – Giniel de Villiers / Dennis Murphy

216 – Seth Quintero / Dennis Zenz

226 – Saood Variawa / Francois Cazalet

243 – Guy Botterill / Brett Cummings

SPECIFICATIONS: GR DKR HILUX EVO T1U (2024)

Engine – V35A Production Engine

Donor – Land Cruiser 300

Engine Type – Twin Turbo, Petrol

Control Regulation – Boost Limited by FIA Reference Power Curve

Power – 264 kW @ 5,300 rpm

Torque – 620 Nm

Engine Management – Motec

Transmission – Sadev 6-speed, Sequential Shift

Differentials – All Limited Slip (front, centre, rear)

Clutch – Ceramic Twin Plate, 215 mm

Construction – Tubular Frame

Wheel Base – 3,140 mm

Track – 2,025 mm

Overall Length – 4,810 mm

Overall Width – 2,300 mm

Overall Height – 1,890 mm

Overall Mass – 2,010 kg, FIA Regulated Minimum (dry weight)

Body – Toyota Hilux Double Cab Pick-Up, Full Composite

Front Suspension – Double Wishbone, 350 mm Travel

Rear Suspension – Double Wishbone, 350 mm Travel

Wheels – Evo Course, 17 inches

Tyres – BF Goodrich, 37 inches

Fuel Tank – FT3 Safety Cell, 540 litres

MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS IN 2023

2024 – TGR TEAM SETUP

DAKAR RALLY 2024 – TLC TEAM SETUP

＊ Toyota Auto Body Employee

DAKAR RALLY 2023 – HINO TEAM SUGAWARA TEAM SETUP

Partners
Red Bull has established itself as the premiere supporter of extreme sports and athletes, and as such fits perfectly with TOYOTA GAZOO Racing’s Dakar and W2RC efforts. The Austrian energy drink manufacturer has partnered with TGR over numerous years, and the involvement bore fruit when the team won a second Dakar title in January 2022, and a third in 2023.

SpeedMax is a CantuStore’s private label, which is the largest omnichannel platform and leader in tire replacement market in Brazil. SpeedMax promotes maximum performance through high-performance tires that suit all types of vehicles, from passenger cars to trucks and tractors, as well as inner tubes and truck wheels.

The team is also supported by Innovation Group Services, Toyota Financial Services, Toyota Genuine Motor Oil, Eurol, Repsol Renewable Fuels, BF Goodrich, Sparco, Maxion Wheels and Kinto. SVR is supported by Jonsson Workwear, USN and Ingco.

Source: https:/toyotagazooracing.com/

North-Western Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NWCCI) held its 2023 Annual Awards giving Gala on December 9th, 2023, from 18:00hrs to 22:30hrs at New Brenda’s Conference Center in Solwezi. 

The theme for this year’s awards giving gala was “A night of Business Brilliance” which resonated with Cfao Motors values, and therefore we were excited to attend such a meaningful event. The occasion was graced by Hon. Minister of Commerce, Trade, and Industry, Mr. Chipoka Mulenga, who emphasised on the role the Business Community play in fostering regional development.

Immerse gratitude goes to North Western Chamber of Commerce and Industry for this prestigious award. To the customers and motorist, thank you for making our slogan Zambia Drives Toyota a reality, we too shall continue exceeding your expectations in terms of after service and vehicle sales. Cfao Motors under the Toyota brand as the Auto company of the year 2023 dedicates this award to Zambians in recognition of their support.

We would like to extend our thanks to the organizers for making the event a success.

A satisfied customer always makes a return business visit. We thank you for being a loyal customer.

Meet our delighted Ms. Dora Moono Nyambe, the founder of Leaving Footprints of Hope. She decided to return and purchased the Toyota Hilux to be a utility vehicle to assist her run errands from Mukushi to Lusaka.  She expressed joy as she got into the vehicle saying, “the differential locking system, reverse camera, good cabin space, comfort and the infotainment is all I need. The Hilux is a practical vehicle and has a reputation of being durable and reliable. Toyota has marketed this vehicle well as; Reliable, Durable with Quality that is unbreakable”.

Congratulations to Ms Moono and wishing you safe drives and adventure!

Cfao Motors Zambia Limited is a proud sponsor of the Dressage World Challenge & 7 Nations Dressage Challenge that took place at Lusaka Gymkhana Club, from the 3^rd to 5^th November 2023.

The event was graced by visiting International Judges; Mrs Suzanne Horne and Mrs Moya Truter who witnessed the horse/ rider combination, working in harmony, developing suppleness, flexibility, obedience and athleticism in order to perform special, carefully controlled movements as directed by the rider, which produced excellent tests and results. 

The aim of the FEI World Challenge series was to offer athletes who, under normal circumstances, could not take part in international competitions due to various unforeseen factors.  It is important to note that the FEI Dressage World Challenge also served as an educational purpose by linking the competition with the coaching.

The competition covered performance levels and two age groups (12-16 yrs; 16 yrs and older):

•  Intermediate I

•  Prix St. Georges

•  Senior II

•  Senior I

•  Youth

Below are details tabulated for clear understanding of the 7 NATIONS DRESSAGE CHALLENGE (7N) 

2023 FEI DRESSAGE WORLD CHALLENGE RESULTS

2023 7 NATIONS RESULTS

Cfao Motors wishes to congratulate all the participants for their determination throughout the competition.

On Saturday the 11th of November 2023, CFAO Motors held a Vehicles Sales and After Sales National Skills Contest at Nangwenya Toyota branch in Lusaka, which was attended by members of staff drawn from Vehicles Sales, Parts, and Service departments across all the five branches. The skills competition provides an opportunity for members of staff or teams to compete against one another to demonstrate their skill, knowledge and service delivery techniques, using tasks derived from training, real life and industry-based scenarios. 

We are pleased to share with you that awards and prizes were offered to encourage participants and recognize their effort towards the spirit of continuous improvement through skills contest.

This also boosts the morale and productivity of participant thus motivates creativity, draws in and keeps top people, and further enhances overall corporate success.

Let us all take this opportunity to sincerely congratulate all participants during this year’s skills contest, above all a big Congratulations to winners. 

Winners are therefore encouraged to sharpen their skills as they prepare to represent Zambia in the next level of the competition which is the regional level in South Africa next year.

The list below has names of finalists and winners per category.    

Once again congratulations to the winners!