Toyota Gazoo Racing set for 2025 Dakar Rally
With a team of six crews
Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) is gearing up for the ultimate endurance and skill test as the 2025 Dakar Rally approaches (January 3-17). The legendary race, renowned for its demanding nature and unpredictable challenges, will unfold across Saudi Arabia.
Competitors will confront over 8,000km of treacherous terrain, including over 5,000km of timed special stages. Next year’s event promises to push participants to their limits as they tackle one of the most demanding routes in recent history.
The 2025 Dakar Rally is set to serve as the opening round of the FIA/FIM World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC). A strong performance in this initial race is vital for Toyota Gazoo Racing. It aims to build on the momentum from its successful 2024 W2RC campaign, which saw the team secure the Manufacturers’ Championship for the third consecutive year.
Competitors will begin their journey in Bisha, a city in Saudi Arabia’s southwestern quadrant. They will navigate a meticulously designed course capitalising on the region’s diverse and demanding terrains. The rally opens with a prologue stage on January 3, allowing participants to establish their starting order before diving into the main event.
Many highlights
The route features several highlights, including a gruelling 48-hour Chrono Stage that will test endurance early in the race. Additionally, a marathon stage will challenge teams to rely solely on their skills and resources to make it through the night without external assistance. The iconic Empty Quarter dunes will return as a focal point of the rally’s second week, presenting towering dunes and challenging navigation that will significantly differentiate the competitors.
The 2025 Dakar Rally will consist of 12 stages, with distances ranging from a short yet demanding 134-kilometre final day to the punishing 606km Stage 6. A rest day on January 10 in Hail will provide a brief respite for competitors. Still, the intensity will resume immediately thereafter as they tackle the longest-timed specials and the challenging dunes in the latter half of the rally. The event will conclude in Shubaytah on January 17, where a celebratory podium will await the successful finishers.
Toyota Gazoo Racing will field six crews for the 2025 Dakar Rally, comprising a blend of seasoned experience and youthful talent.
The European contingent features Lucas Moraes, partnered with Armand Monleon (#203), and Seth Quintero, partnered with Dennis Zenz (#204). The Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa squad includes Giniel de Villiers and Dirk von Zitzewitz (#206), Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings (#211), Guy Botterill and Dennis Murphy (#205), and Saood Variawa with Francois Cazalet (#218). Together, these six crews represent one of the most balanced and competitive line-ups in the history of the rally.
GR DKR Hilux Evo
Each crew will depend on the race-proven GR DKR Hilux Evo, the latest iteration of Toyota’s rally-raid platform. Building upon the success of the 2024 model, the 2025 Hilux Evo boasts refinements to key systems and components designed to maximise reliability, durability, and performance in the unforgiving conditions of the Dakar Rally. These enhancements reflect Toyota’s Kaizen philosophy of continuous improvement and the relentless pursuit of excellence in building ever-better cars.
Toyota Gazoo Racing meticulously organises its logistics in preparation for the race. Upon their arrival in Saudi Arabia, the technical crews will fully reassemble the race cars.
Following this, the race crews will conduct a thorough pre-race shakedown to ensure the vehicles perform flawlessly before the event begins. All race crews and technical team members will undergo a mandatory accreditation process to obtain the necessary credentials for participation. Race officials will also inspect the cars rigorously to ensure compliance with Dakar’s stringent regulations. This includes checks on driver safety equipment, vehicle systems, and crew eligibility.
In a statement, Lucas Moraes expressed his anticipation for the event: “The Dakar Rally is always the ultimate test for both the drivers and the cars, and this year’s route looks like one of the toughest yet. Every day will be a battle from the dunes of the Empty Quarter to the challenging rocky sections.
The GR DKR Hilux Evo has proven itself time and again, and with the refinements made for 2025, I am confident we have the perfect machine to take on the challenge. I am excited to kick off the season and see how we measure up against such a demanding course.”
Seth Quintero echoed this sentiment: “The 2025 Dakar Rally is going to be an incredible challenge, and I cannot wait to take it on. The route is brutal, and we know there will not be any easy days, which makes Dakar unique.
“The GR DKR Hilux Evo is built for these extreme conditions, and the team’s improvements give us the confidence to push even harder. I look forward to seeing what we can achieve in such an iconic event.”
Hero image: Toyota Gazoo Racing will field six crews for the 2025 Dakar Rally, comprising a blend of seasoned experience and youthful talent. Credit: TGR
