Toyota clinches 1-2 at Dakar 2025
Al Rajhi triumphs on home soil
The 2025 Dakar Rally concluded on January 17 with a stunning 1-2 finish for Toyota. Yazeed Al Rajhi claimed victory on home turf, followed closely by Toyota Gazoo Racing’s Henk Lategan in second.
Al Rajhi’s win, secured with co-driver Timo Gottschalk in their Toyota Hilux, marked a momentous achievement for the Saudi driver. At the same time, Lategan and Brett Cummings, also in a Toyota GR Hilux EVO, finished just 3 minutes and 57 seconds behind after two weeks of gruelling competition across the Saudi Arabian desert.
For Al Rajhi, a Riyadh native, this victory was particularly special, not only because it was on home soil but also because it secured him the lead in the 2025 World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) standings with 70 points. Lategan, who had led the rally for most of the event, remains in second place in the W2RC with 55 points, while Toyota tops the manufacturer standings with a 34-point margin over its nearest rival.
Lategan and Cummings began the Dakar Rally with strong aspirations, winning the Prologue in Bisha and then taking the overall lead by Stage 2. They held the top spot for eight consecutive stages but were briefly overtaken by Al Rajhi in Stage 9. Despite regaining the lead in Stage 10, their road position in the final stages ultimately hindered their chances of victory. Ultimately, they finished second, marking an impressive result for the South African duo and further cementing Toyota’s dominance in the rally.
Reflecting on the result, Lategan said, “It was a bittersweet race for us… It was hard to miss out by four minutes after such a long and tough rally, but making it to the podium is still a fantastic achievement. We will keep pushing and improving for next year.”
Stellar showing
Other Toyota crews were also impressive during the rally. Californian Seth Quintero and German co-driver Dennis Zenz delivered a solid performance, finishing 9th overall despite challenges, including a tyre failure in Stage 4 that hindered their progress. Nevertheless, their consistency throughout the event, alongside two stage wins, earned them 28 points in the W2RC.
Lucas Moraes and Armand Monleon had a mixed rally. They started strong but suffered technical issues, including a damper failure in Stage 6. A time penalty also hampered their efforts. However, the Brazilian-Spanish duo bounced back with a win in Stage 7 and another victory in the rally’s final stage, securing 15th place overall and 18 W2RC points.
Meanwhile, South African Saood Variawa, alongside French co-driver Francois Cazalet, made history by becoming the youngest stage winner in the Ultimate Class when they triumphed in Stage 3. However, a collision in Stage 2 and technical setbacks later in the rally meant they finished 29th overall. Despite this, their performance earned them 13 points in the W2RC standings, and Variawa expressed satisfaction with his second Dakar finish.
Unfortunately, two TGR crews were forced to retire from the 2025 Dakar Rally. The first was the veteran duo of Giniel de Villiers and Dirk von Zitzewitz. They were forced to withdraw after Stage 6 when von Zitzewitz experienced severe neck pain and was deemed medically unfit to continue. This marked the first-ever Dakar retirement for de Villiers, who had competed in 22 rally editions.
The second retirement came from Guy Botterill and Dennis Murphy, who had been steadily progressing through the stages. Still, it was ultimately forced to stop after a crash in Stage 9, following earlier issues with a damper problem.
Despite the setbacks, Toyota’s overall performance at Dakar 2025 was dominant. The manufacturer won all but four of the 12 stages and secured a strong presence in the Top 10, occupying four spots, including the top two positions. This outstanding display of performance, reliability, and durability underscored the capabilities of the Toyota Hilux in one of the world’s most challenging motorsport events.
Andrea Carlucci, Team Principal of TGR, quickly praised the team’s efforts. “This was probably the best Dakar I have seen since we started racing in Saudi Arabia. To finish with a 1-2 result and so many podiums is a fantastic achievement for Toyota. The car performed superbly, and it was an exciting race until the end.”
Hero image: For Yazeed Al Rajhi, a Riyadh native, the Dakar victory was particularly special. Credit: TGR
