The Dakar Rally – a name synonymous with extreme endurance, a relentless test of machine and human spirit – once again captivated the motorsport world in its 2025 iteration. As engines roared and dunes shifted under the might of relentless tyres, the Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa (TGRSA) team emerged as a standout force, demonstrating a mastery of grit, engineering excellence, and strategic brilliance.
The Saudi Arabian desert, with its stark, unforgiving beauty, played host to the 2025 Dakar Rally. The rally’s 14 gruelling stages spanned over 8,500 kilometres of treacherous terrain, from rocky plateaus to soft, deceptive dunes. It’s a race where the slightest mechanical misstep or momentary lapse in concentration could spell the difference between victory and despair. For Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa, this year’s rally was about defending their hard-earned legacy and pushing the limits of their state-of-the-art GR Hilux IMT Evo race car.
THE MACHINES BEHIND THE MAGIC
The GR Hilux IMT Evo is no ordinary off-road vehicle. It’s a symphony of precision engineering designed to conquer the most challenging conditions. Powered by a 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 engine borrowed from the Lexus LS 500, the Hilux delivered a robust 298 kW and 660 Nm of torque. This power was complemented by advanced suspension geometry and a reinforced tubular chassis, allowing the Hilux to glide over dunes and devour rocky tracks with ease. With bespoke BFGoodrich tyres providing the grip and a newly optimised cooling system ensuring peak performance in scorching temperatures, the Hilux IMT Evo epitomised the meticulous attention to detail that Toyota Gazoo Racing brought to its Dakar campaign.
THE TEAM BEHIND THE TRIUMPH
TGRSA fielded four formidable crews for the 2025 Dakar Rally, each driving the latest GR Hilux IMT Evo. Heading the line-up were Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings, car #211, who came into the event as the reigning champions of the 2024 South African Rally-Raid Championship (SARRC). Their performance throughout the rally was nothing short of exceptional, culminating in a hard-fought second-place finish overall, just 3 minutes and 57 seconds behind the winning duo of Saudi Arabia’s Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Timo Gottschalk.
Guy Botterill and Dennis Murphy, car #205, showcased immense skill and tenacity throughout the rally’s early stages. Unfortunately, their journey ended abruptly following an accident in Stage 9, forcing their withdrawal from the competition. Despite this setback, their efforts underscored the depth of talent within the TGRSA team.
The duo of Saood Variawa and Francois Cazalet, car #218, returned to Dakar with a strong showing, demonstrating resilience and growth. At only 19 years old, Variawa earned widespread admiration for his maturity and capability on the world’s toughest rally stage.
Rounding out the TGRSA team, Giniel de Villiers reunited with his former co-driver, Dirk von Zitzewitz, in car #206. De Villiers and Von Zitzewitz, who famously claimed victory together at the 2009 Dakar Rally, brought a wealth of experience and consistency to the team. Over the years, De Villiers managed 20 top-10 finishes, including eight podiums. However, he could not add to this tally in 2025 after being forced to abandon the race after co-driver Dirk von Zitzewitz suffered an injury after the halfway mark.
THE FINAL SHOWDOWN
The 2025 Dakar Rally came to a dramatic conclusion as Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings staged a valiant effort in the final stages to close the gap on Al-Rajhi and Gottschalk. Their perseverance paid off with a series of stage wins and consistently strong performances. However, despite their heroics, they fell just short of reclaiming the top spot, solidifying their runner-up position in this gruelling competition. Speaking at the post-race press conference at Toyota’s annual “State of the Motor Industry” event at Kyalami, Henk explained that “we had our Dakar all planned out for which days we wanted to be closer to the front, and which days further to the back. The plan was never to win a stage, but on the day when [the organisers] took out the waypoint, we lost a lot of time, which put us at the back. The only way to get back into our sequence and gain that time back was to really push that day and win the stage. That guaranteed the next day to lose some time, and that was where our racing strategy had to change, and we had to go into full attack mode. Dakar has become a seriously strategic game, you have to have a really good strategy planned out, and even then, it’s impossible to know what to expect on the day.”
SOUTH AFRICA’S PRIDE ON THE GLOBAL STAGE
For South African fans, the Dakar is not only an international event, it’s a source of immense national pride. Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa’s success has placed the country firmly on the motorsport map over the years, with the latest Dakar instalment showing just what the team can achieve when firing on all cylinders.
The local assembly of the Hilux rally cars added a layer of significance to every podium finish. This is a testament to the skill and dedication of South African engineers and technicians, who have played a crucial role in crafting a world-class racing machine.
Beyond the technical achievements, the team’s journey embodies the South African spirit of resilience and innovation. Each time the Toyota Gazoo Racing Hilux crested a dune or powered through a rocky riverbed, it carried with it the hopes and dreams of a nation.
THE LEGACY OF DAKAR
As the 2025 Dakar Rally drew to a close, it reaffirmed its status as the ultimate test of endurance and skill. For Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa, this year’s rally was a testament to their relentless pursuit of excellence. While the overall victory eluded them, their podium finishes and standout performances across various stages highlighted the team’s prowess and determination.
The Dakar is a crucible where the boundaries of human endurance and mechanical ingenuity are pushed to their absolute limits. For TGRSA, it remains a proving ground and a platform to inspire the next generation of motorsport enthusiasts.
NOT THE LAST WORD
As the dust settled on the 2025 Dakar Rally, Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa is already looking to the future. With a proven track record and a hunger for success, the team is poised to return stronger and more determined in 2026. Their journey through the Saudi Arabian desert this year has solidified their place among the elite of rally-raid racing, and inspired countless fans at home and abroad.
Report by BERNIE HELLBERG JR | Images © TOYOTA GAZOO RACING SOUTH AFRICA
