Toyota Gazoo Racing Wins Dakar Rally 2023

Overview

Most motorsport teams dream of setting foot in the Dakar Rally and achieving a podium finish. However, Toyota’s Gazoo Racing team has accomplished the remarkable feat of winning the Dakar Rally for the second consecutive year—an impressive achievement.

Victory Details

Nasser Al-Attiyah and co-driver Mathieu Baumel defended their title by securing the top position on the podium in the No. 200 GR DKR Hilux T1+. They won the event overall by an outstanding margin of 1 hour 20 minutes 49 seconds.

Production Car Category Success

The Toyota team achieved further success as Ronald Basso and Jean-Michel Polato won the production car category with the Team Land Cruiser Auto Body (TLC)’s No. 250 Land Cruiser GR Sport.

Improvements Made to the Vehicle

The GR Team implemented several enhancements to the GR DKR Hilux T1+ following last year’s victory. Key updates included:

• Adjustments to the car’s differentials
• Improvements to the suspension system
• Refinements in transmission shifting
• Updates to onboard software to accommodate the latest racing fuel

These modifications ensured that the vehicle met the criteria set by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA).

Comments from Leadership

Akio Toyoda, President of Toyota Motor Corporation and GR Team Founder, commented:

“Congratulations to Nasser Al-Attiyah and Mathieu Baumel on winning the overall title for the second year in a row! On the long, tough roads of Dakar, it is very hard to win without a car that is easy to drive, reliable, and durable. By continuing to challenge the Dakar, the GR Dakar Hilux T1+ will be refined into an ever-better car. Thank you to all the fans for your support!”

He further added, “Congratulations to Team Land Cruiser Toyota Auto Body, with their tenth consecutive victory in the Production Cars category! Thanks to all the mechanics too! We at Toyota Motor Corporation will continue to make ever-better cars so that Team Land Cruiser Toyota Auto Body can drive with even greater peace of mind next year. Let's do our best "together" for an 11th and 12th consecutive victory!”

Driver's Reflections

Nasser Al Attiyah expressed, “This is an amazing feeling! I have to thank so many people, starting with every member of our team. It was a tough two weeks, but to be able to come back and defend our title is fantastic! I’m really proud of our GR DKR Hilux T1+, and to win the race three times with Toyota GAZOO Racing is truly something special.”