Toyota Gazoo Racing SA announces driver line-up for 2023 Dakar Rally
|Published
By: Double Apex
Johannesburg - The 2023 TGR Dakar team was announced earlier this week. These are the crews that will compete in the upcoming Dakar Rally. The event will, once again, take place entirely within the borders of Saudi Arabia. It starts on 31 December 2022 and finishes on 15 January 2023.
The official 2023 TGR Dakar team will consist of a three-car challenge. Defending champions, Nasser Al-Attiyah and co-driver Mathieu Baumel, will spearhead the attack in car number 200. Seasoned campaigner and newly crowned South African Rally-Raid Champion Giniel de Villiers and co-driver Dennis Murphy will bring their usual consistency to proceedings in car number 205. The final race machine will be piloted by Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings (number 217).
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All three pairs will compete in the TGR Hilux that was developed for the T1+ class. The Class T1+ and T1U cars have had their peak power output reduced by 30kW when compared to last year. This was a mandate from the FIA in an effort to equalise the playing field among the diverse entries from various teams.
In Their Own Words
Nasser Al-Attiyah: “Winning the 2022 W2RC title was my first goal, and I’m proud to say that we achieved it. Also, the car has been getting steadily better throughout the year, and with a final test in Namibia, I’m sure that we’ve locked in the best possible version of the GR DKR Hilux T1+yet. Now, all that remains is to go racing in Saudi Arabia.”
Giniel de Villiers: “This year has offered some tough challenges, especially in terms of the SARRC. With that said, we managed to prevail to win the 2022 title, and as such we’ve grown considerably as a team. The car has also matched our personal growth, and we are excited to be back at the Dakar Rally this January. Winning the SARRC title has affirmed our belief that we are in the mix for overall victory this January, and we can’t wait for the race to start.”
Henk Lategan: “Dakar 2022 offered a steep learning curve, and I’m pleased with our experience earlier this year. Now, it is time to face the challenge yet again, but this year we are considerably more experienced, and the GR DKR Hilux T1+ is better than ever. Let’s get going in Saudi Arabia!”
Hear more from the drivers and leader of the 2023 TGR Dakar Team in the video below.
Toyota GR DKR Hilux T1+ Specifications (2023)
Engine - V35A
Engine Type - Twin-turbocharged petrol
Power - 266kW
Torque - 620Nm
Engine Management - Motec
Transmission - Sadev six-speed, sequential shift
Differentials - LSD: front, centre and rear
Construction - Tubular frame
Overall Mass - 2 000 kg, FIA regulated minimum
Body - Full composite
Front Suspension - Double Wishbones, 350 mm travel
Rear Suspension - Double Wishbones, 350 mm Travel
Rims - Evo Corse, 17 inch
Tyres - BF Goodrich, 37 inch
Fuel Tank - 540 litres
Story courtesy of Double Apex