After a commanding 1-2-3 finish in the 2024 South African Rally-Raid Championship (SARRC), TOYOTA GAZOO Racing South Africa (TGRSA) is fully prepared to take on the ultimate off-road test: the 2025 Dakar Rally. This gruelling event, stretching across nearly 8,000 kilometres in Saudi Arabia’s toughest terrain, promises to push teams and their machines to the absolute limit.
The 2025 Dakar Rally comprises 12 challenging stages, including more than 5,000 km of timed special stages. The route will take competitors from Bisha to Shubaytah, combining high-speed straights, technical dunes, and treacherous navigation. Two standout challenges include the 48-hour Chrono Stage, a tough test of endurance and mechanical reliability that takes place early in the race, and the notorious Marathon Stage, where crews must complete two days of racing without external assistance from service teams. These stages are expected to shape the outcome of the rally, testing every crew’s resolve to the extreme.
The rally culminates in the vast and unforgiving Empty Quarter, a sea of towering dunes and endless desert, before concluding at the podium in Shubaytah on January 17, 2025. This year’s route has been meticulously planned to increase difficulty, ensuring that only the toughest competitors make it to the finish line.
“This year’s Dakar route promises to be one of the most challenging yet,” said Henk Lategan, reigning SARRC champion and Dakar contender. “With the added complexity of the 48-hour Chrono and the Marathon Stage, we know we’ll need to be at our absolute best from the start.”
The Dakar Rally is a test of endurance, not just for the crews but for the vehicles. TGRSA will compete in the latest version of the GR DKR Hilux Evo, designed to handle the most extreme conditions the desert can offer.
“We’ve worked diligently to continuously refine the race-winning GR IMT Hilux EVO for Dakar 2025,” said Michael Jardim, Senior Engineer at SVR, who has worked on Toyota’s Dakar project since its inception. “The latest version of the car is exceptionally robust, yet it is also nimble and extremely fast. We’ve incorporated data from countless kilometres of racing in the SARRC, as well as dedicated test sessions where the drivers give very important feedback.”
Key features include:
- Engine: A 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 producing 264 kW and 620 Nm of torque, from the Land Cruiser 300.
- Suspension: Double-wishbone system with advanced dampers and 350 mm of travel to absorb massive impacts.
- Chassis: Lightweight tubular frame for rigidity and durability.
- Body: Aerodynamic composite Hilux body for optimal performance and reliability.
- Transmission: SADEV 6-speed sequential gearbox with limited-slip differentials.
- Fuel System: A 540-litre tank designed for extended endurance stages.
“The GR DKR Hilux Evo has been refined through countless kilometres of racing, including our success in the 2024 SARRC,” said Shameer Variawa, Team Principal. “This is a car that is as reliable as it is fast. We believe it’s the perfect machine for Dakar 2025.”
TGRSA will field four crews at Dakar 2025, all aiming to uphold Toyota’s proud legacy at the rally:
- Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings (#211): Fresh from their SARRC title win, this duo is focused on carrying their dominant form to Dakar. Henk is returning to the Dakar Rally after missing out on the 2024 event due to injury, and will be reuniting with Cummings, we co-drove for Guy Botterill during this year’s Dakar.
- Guy Botterill and Dennis Murphy (#205): With a successful season behind them, they are eager to show their pace on the global stage. Guy was the Rookie of the Year during Dakar 2024, and the highest finisher in the works TOYOTA GAZOO Racing team. Endurance racing clearly suits his style, and the man from KZN will be aiming for more of the same.
- Giniel de Villiers and Dirk von Zitzewitz (#206): This marks Giniel’s final Dakar with Toyota, reuniting him with the co-driver who helped him secure victory in 2009.
- Saood Variawa and Francois Cazalet (#218): The youngest pairing in the line-up, keen to continue their upward trajectory in the rally-raid world, after a successful opening Dakar campaign together in 2024.
TGRSA will be joined by two additional TOYOTA GAZOO Racing crews:
- Lucas Moraes and Armand Monleon (#203): Building on their impressive performances in the W2RC, this pairing will aim for another strong showing.
- Seth Quintero and Dennis Zenz (#204): The young American-German duo will take on their second Dakar in the GR DKR Hilux Evo, again bringing energy and excitement to the team.
“Our team is a mix of youth and experience, and we’re proud to have such a talented line-up,” said Variawa. “Each crew brings something unique, and together, we aim to achieve great results.”
“Dakar is the ultimate test of quality, reliability, and durability, and the GR DKR Hilux Evo is a shining example of these values,” said Glenn Crompton, Vice President of Marketing at Toyota South Africa Motors. “This event allows us to demonstrate the capabilities of our vehicles in the most extreme conditions imaginable. Toyota has proven the toughness of the Hilux in these conditions since 2012, making it the most popular car in the Dakar line-up.”
TGR hosts W2RC Round 3 in South Africa
While the Dakar Rally is Round 1 of the 2025 World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC), and arguably the most important, TGRSA will be looking forward to Round 3 of the season with equal fervour. This is because the South African Safari Rally, which takes place from 18-24 May next year, is not only taking place on local soil, but is also sponsored by TOYOTA GAZOO Racing. This support of the W2RC race underscores TGR’s commitment to rally-raid racing, both locally and internationally.
With the countdown to Dakar 2025 underway, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing South Africa is ready to take on the world’s toughest rally, bringing with them the confidence of a championship-winning season and a line-up of world-class crews.
“We’ve set the team a challenge for Dakar 2025,” said Leon Theron, Toyota South Africa Motors’ Senior Vice-President for Sales and Marketing. “Of course, we’d like to win, but at the very least we expect one of our cars on the podium – and ideally three of the four in the Top 10.”
