The Toyota Gazoo Racing team that will tackle the 2024 Dakar has already turned the page. After the painful farewell of the star Nasser Al-Attiyah (who moved to Prodrive which, from next year, will become Dacia), the team based in South Africa has literally opened a new course and will present itself at the next edition of the most famous Rally Raid in world with a lineup that is not only renewed, but also much larger than what was done in the last editions.
At the Dakar 2024 Toyota will field 5 crews with as many 5 official GR DKR Hilux Evo T1Us. A real record for the Japanese brand, but it is a clear snapshot of how committed it is to rally raids and how well it wants to make a good impression not only in the present, but also and above all in the future by hiring young, but absolutely top-quality drivers.
We already understood this a few weeks ago, when the engagements of the promising Seth Quintero, star of the Lightweight Prototypes, and the surprising Brazilian Lucas Moraes, third overall in the Car category at the 2023 Dakar as a privateer in his first career appearance, were made official.
The other three crews that will form the Toyota Gazoo Racing platoon were also made official today. The only certainty is the presence of Giniel De Villiers. Having completed 20 Dakars in his career, the South African is the point of union between the past and present lineups.
Alongside him, in addition to Quintero and Moraes, there will be two equally promising debutants. We are talking about Saood Variawa – navigated by François Cazalet – and Guy Botterill, who will have Brett Cummings as his music. Botterill will take the place of the injured Henk Lategan, injured in South Africa in the first phase of the year but not yet ready to face such a challenging challenge from a physical point of view as the Dakar.
Photo by: Toyota
Toyota Gazoo Racing DKR Hilux EVO T1U
Variawa, just 18 years old, will be at his first Dakar and will follow in the footsteps of his father Shameer, who managed to complete 2 Dakars in the same team. Botterill, just like Variawa, impressed in the South African SARRC category and will be able to make use of Cummings' great experience on the notes.
GR DKR Hilux Evo T1U: the news
A new lineup, of course, but also a GR DKR Hilux Evo T1U that is very different from the one seen until last year. The most obvious thing is the livery, which follows the one already seen yesterday on the GR010 Hybrid sisters which will race in the WEC and the GR Yaris Rally1 for the WRC.
The new Hilux will also be recognizable because it is all black. The cars, however, will also be distinguishable due to the presence on some (for example that of Quintero) of the Red Bull sponsor on the doors and on the bonnet.
Great work has also been done with regards to the well-being and safety of the crew, with the repositioning of the air conditioning system to make it more efficient, not to mention the new cooling package for the engine, so as to avoid overheating problems in the harsher stages from a climatic point of view.
The car has undergone a constant update throughout 2023, covering over 30,000 kilometers between W2RC and SARRC. Other tests were also carried out, this time in the Kalahari desert, as well as in Namibia to prepare for the 2024 Dakar and the assault on the W2RC which will only see Quintero and Moraes involved.
![Toyota Gazoo Racing DKR Hilux EVO T1U](https://cdn-3.motorsport.com/images/mgl/YKEMEgB0/s1000/toyota-gazoo-racing-dkr-hilux-.jpg)
Photo by: Toyota
Toyota Gazoo Racing DKR Hilux EVO T1U
Toyota has also worked closely with petrol supplier Repsol to create a 70% renewable fuel that will be used starting this year. The Japanese company has joined the Dakar Future Project for a more sustainable rally and this initiative is part of its commitment.
Alain Dujardyn, TGR W2RC Team Principal, said: “To have achieved everything we have in 2023 is an incredible feeling. We have won the Dakar Rally and W2RC titles for the second year in a row, thanks to our highly durable and reliable, as well as the skills and dedication of Nasser Al-Attiyah and Mathieu Baumel. Now we are at the beginning of a new chapter, with our GR DKR Hilux EVO T1U, which promises to raise the bar even further. Not only that, but we have the We are fortunate to have one of the most competitive driver line-ups in the bivouac and we can't wait to get back to racing. We are excited about the future and look forward to 2024 when our new crews will grow into their roles as TGR drivers. At the same time, We count on the experience of Giniel and Dennis, as well as our entire coaching staff, to guide and nurture our new talent into the future.”
Andrea Carlucci, Vice President, Product strategy & Marketing, Toyota Motor Europe added: “We are thrilled to start the 2024 W2RC with our largest ever Dakar team, and I look forward to following Seth and Dennis, and Lucas and Armand on their journey with the new GR DKR Hilux EVO T1U”.
Toyota Gazoo Racing: car numbers for the 2024 Dakar
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
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