Toyota announces crews for Dakar 2023, and changes to 266kW Hilux racecar

Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa (TGRSA) is ready for the challenge presented by the world's most gruelling race, the Dakar. The winners of the 2022 edition of the race announced its three-car team earlier this month, with reigning champions Nasser Al-Attiyah and co-driver Mathieu Baumel leading the charge.

Newly crowned South African Rally-Raid champion Giniel de Villiers and co-driver Dennis Murphy will pilot the second GR DKR Hilux T1+, with Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings manning the third.

Glyn Hall, TGR Dakar and SARRC Team Principal and Technical Director, said: "Dakar 2023 is around the corner, and we are excited to take on the world's toughest automotive race with a three-car team in January. We've worked hard at refining our GR DKR Hilux T1+ over the course of the year, and we're confident that we are well-prepared to take on the rigours of the race, as well as our competition."

Dakar 2023 is set to start on 31 December 2022 on the north-western coast of Saudi Arabia, before travelling inland toward the city of Ha'il. From there, the route continues in a south-easterly direction, bisecting the feared Empty Quarter, before finally swinging northwards towards the finish at Dammam on 15 January 2023.

Improved Hilux

With TGRSA's racing crews taking part in W2RC (World Rally-Raid Championship) and the SARRC (South African Rally-Raid Championship), the team accumulated more than 25 000km of racing and testing, allowing it to improve the GR DKR Hilux T1+'s quality, durability, and reliability.

However, for 2023, the FIA clamped down on the rules and regulations for Class T1+ and T1U cars, reducing peak power outputs by 30kW. According to the official statement by TGRSA, "the power curves have been adjusted to blend the