TOYOTA GAZOO Racing’S GINIEL DE VILLIERS WINS STAGE 2 OF 2020 DAKAR RALLY

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing’s Giniel de Villiers and Alex Haro won Stage 2 of the 2020 Dakar Rally, bouncing back from a tough opening stage to win the Al Wajh-Neom special by 3min 57sec. The pair drove their Toyota Hilux to stage victory without a single puncture on a challenging stage featuring hard track which always posed a risk to crews.

Giniel and Alex were the 14th crew on the road after yesterday’s disappointing start to their Dakar Rally campaign. Throughout the stage, the crew never set a foot wrong and ended the day back in contention in sixth place overall, 12min 4sec from the leaders.

Despite a tough day for reining Dakar Rally champions Nasser Al-Attiyah and Matthieu Baumel who picked up three punctures, the pair battled through to post the fifth fastest time, now just 6min 7sec behind the leader moving up to third place overall.

Bernhard ten Brinke and Tom Colsoul also didn’t escape punctures, picking up four on the stage. Running out of spare tyres just 20 kilometres from the finish line, teammate Giniel stopped briefly to provide one of his spares for the stricken crew which allowed the pair finish the stage. Nevertheless, the punctures cost the crew 26min 5sec which puts them in 10th place overall, 21min 23sec behind the leaders.

Dakar newcomer Fernando Alonso and his navigator Marc Coma started today’s stage strongly, third quickest to pass the first waypoint and posted top ten times up to the middle of the stage. However, the crew suffered significant suspension damage after impacting an unsighted depression in the ground while driving in the dust of the front-runners. Fernando and Marc lost 2hrs 34min 38sec to repair their Hilux and bring their car home. Even though they are now in 47th position overall, the pair remain upbeat about their Dakar Rally adventure.

Tomorrow, crews will take on the first looped stage around the future city of Neom on a 427-kilometre special stage with a total distance of 504 kilometres. Crews will race close to the border between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Jordan on a route with canyons and mountains dominating the scenery, where sand will be the primary terrain. Stage 3 will also take the 2020 Dakar Rally to the highest altitude of some 1,400 metres.

Glyn Hall, Team Principal: “Yesterday, we had good and bad because we were fast but we had punctures. The big news for today, of course, is that Giniel won the stage bringing him back into the game again. We changed the type of tyre for today but Nasser still picked up three punctures which was a bit unlucky. I think we’ve proven that we have the pace so we just need to have a bit of luck on our side.”

Nasser Al-Attiyah (No. 300): “Today was not an easy day. I know it was the same for everybody, but we again had three punctures and got a bit lost on the stage. We are still in the game in third place overall. I hope tomorrow is better for us because it’s a completely new Dakar Rally for everybody and we don’t know what’s coming.”

Giniel de Villiers (No. 304): “This is the Dakar Rally. You can have a very bad day and the next day you can have a very good day. It’s just how you limit your bad days and limit the time loss. Still, it was a really nice day for us today. The only time we had to stop was to help Bernhard out to give him some tyres when he ran out of spares. Alex did a really good job on the navigation because it’s really, really tricky out there.”

Bernhard ten Brinke (No. 307): “I want to thank my teammate Giniel because, without him, I wouldn’t be at the finish line. We had a really, really tough day. From the navigation side, it was difficult but we lost only ten minutes. The problem this year is the tyres. We had four punctures, and Giniel really saved us. He gave me a tyre for the last 20 km and we drove together to the finish.”

Fernando Alonso (No. 310): “It was not a good day for results, time wise. But it was a good day for feeling. We felt fast and Marc was spot on with the navigation. Everything was going quite smoothly until we picked up some damage and lost hours to repair the front suspension.”

2020 Dakar Rally Day 2 Results:
1st No. 304 Giniel de Villiers/Alex Haro, 3hrs 37min 20sec
5th No. 300 Nasser Al-Attiyah/Mathieu Baumel, +11min 46sec
15th No. 307 Bernhard ten Brinke/Tom Colsoul, +26min 5sec
63rd No. 310 Fernando Alonso/Marc Coma, +2hrs 34min 38sec

2020 Dakar Rally Overall Results After Day 2:
3rd No. 300 Nasser Al-Attiyah/Mathieu Baumel, +6min 7sec
6th No. 304 Giniel de Villiers/Alex Haro, +12min 4sec
10th No. 307 Bernhard ten Brinke/Tom Colsoul, +21min 23sec
47th No. 310 Fernando Alonso/Marc Coma, +2hrs 38min 53sec

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing CREWS COMPLETE EVENTFUL DAKAR RALLY OPENER

All four TOYOTA GAZOO Racing crews successfully completed an eventful opening stage of the 2020 Dakar Rally in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia which saw crews travel north up the Red Sea coast from Jeddah to Al Wajh, a route totalling 752 kilometres including a 319-kilometre special stage billed as a “mini-Dakar” for its many varying types of terrain crews had to navigate.

It was a day of punctures across the board with TOYOTA GAZOO Racing crews picking up a combined eleven punctures between the four Toyota Hilux race cars. Nasser Al-Attiyah and navigator Mathieu Baumel opened the rally and set the early pace but lost time towards the end of the stage with three punctures in short succession. The pair ended the day in fourth place, 5min 33sec behind the leaders.

Giniel de Villiers and navigator Alex Haro suffered four flat tyres today, the last being a slow puncture which forced the crew to stop and inflate the tyre using a manual on-board system. They finished the stage in 14th place, 23min 16sec from the overall leader.

It was a relatively clean run for Bernhard ten Brinke and navigator Tom Colsoul with the pair posting the second-fastest time of the four TOYOTA GAZOO Racing crews despite also picking up two punctures, the final one just one kilometre from the end of the special stage. They are now sitting in fifth place overall, 6min 30sec behind the leaders.

Fernando Alonso took on his first-ever Dakar Rally special stage with navigator Marc Coma starting from 10th on the road. The duo also had to deal with two punctures and lost additional time due to tricky navigation on the route, bringing their Hilux home 11th fastest overall, losing 15min 27sec to the leaders.

Punctures played a key role in the results across the field and TOYOTA GAZOO Racing crews will be looking for a better result on Stage 2 which will take the rally from Al Wajh to the future city of Neom featuring a 367-kilometre special stage with the total distance of the day clocking in at 393 kilometres. The stage will take place mainly on hard tracks which means the risk of punctures will again be high for all crews.

Glyn Hall, Team Principal: “Although today’s result wasn’t what we wanted, it does put our crews in a better road position tomorrow. Nasser led the stage quite easily today but the three punctures he suffered took the wind out of his sails, with all three happening within a 20 kilometre stretch. This meant that Nasser had to drive the last part of the stage with no spare wheels. Bernhard did a great job today for TOYOTA GAZOO Racing, finishing just one minute behind Nasser but also picked up two punctures but he tells us the Hilux had no problems. Giniel also suffered from punctures, with a suspected fourth which turned out to be a faulty tyre sensor. With the three punctures happening fairly early on in the stage. Giniel lost 19 minutes which is a pretty big challenge at the start of the Dakar Rally. Fernando, also with two punctures, had a really good first taste of a special stage at the Dakar Rally. Finishing today in 11th is just short of his target to finish in the Top 10 so I feel he’s done tremendously well on a very difficult stage. I’m happy that Fernando has now officially joined the ‘Dakar Club’. The challenges crews faced today were rocks hidden under the sand which is where most people probably picked up their punctures.”

Nasser Al-Attiyah (No. 300): “It was a hard-going day but I think we did a good job. Apart from the three flat tyres which meant we had to stop three times to change, it’s nice to be at the finish of the stage. It was a new experience for all of us to do the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia but I’m feeling relaxed. The terrain was not easy at all today, just like it was when the Dakar Rally was in Africa, and in some ways similar to the tough conditions we experienced in Morocco. I think this is a good place to race.”

Giniel de Villiers (No. 304): “Not a good day for us with four punctures through the difficult day. The slow puncture meant we had to inflate it to keep going. I had to do about a hundred kilometres with no spare tyres so I had to be cautious. Coming into Day 1, I was a bit under the weather which didn’t help at all. It was just survival mode until the end of the day.”

Bernhard ten Brinke (No. 307): “I think it was quite a tough day overall but we performed strongly. Tom did a good job and we made no big mistakes. I think we lost only thirty seconds due to some tricky navigation. I decided not to push too hard because the route was really rocky and we had a puncture on the front left tyre which we managed to change in a zone with restricted speeds. One or two kilometres from the finish, we picked up another puncture but we made it to the end of the stage. The Hilux performed well throughout the day and we had no problems so I’m happy. We’re looking forward to tomorrow.”

Fernando Alonso (No. 310): “It feels great to finally arrive and start the Dakar Rally. Obviously, it’s an adventure that I’ve been very excited about and we did OK today. We had some challenges with navigation and lost a bit of time but it’s all part of the game. It happened to us today, and maybe it’ll happen to others on another day. Overall, Marc and I are very happy with the Hilux and happy with our performance and our confidence is building day by day.”

2020 Dakar Rally Day 1 Results:
4th No. 300 Nasser Al-Attiyah/Mathieu Baumel, +5min 33sec
5th No. 307 Bernhard ten Brinke/Tom Colsoul, +6min 30sec
11th No. 310 Fernando Alonso/Marc Coma, +15min 27sec
14th No. 304 Giniel de Villiers/Alex Haro, +23min 16sec

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing READY FOR DAKAR RALLY TITLE DEFENCE

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing completed preparations for the upcoming 2020 Dakar Rally which is scheduled to start in the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah on January 5. The team and crews spent the first days of the New Year re-assembling the four Toyota Hilux race cars shipped from the team’s South African headquarters near Johannesburg before conducting a full-scale shakedown in the desert south of Jeddah.

The purpose of the shakedown was to confirm that all four vehicles performed as designed, while some adjustments were also made to the suspension setups in order to ensure the best possible handling in the terrain expected at the start of the rally.

In keeping with TOYOTA GAZOO Racing’s ethos of making ever-better cars, the latest version of the Hilux features a host of refinements compared to the car that won the 2019 Dakar Rally in the hands of Nasser Al-Attiyah and navigator Mathieu Baumel. To prepare for the 2020 edition of the Dakar Rally – the 42nd running of the endurance rally raid race, and the first running in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – the team concentrated on the suspension setup with a week-long test session ahead of the Rally of Morocco helping engineers dial in the cars.

Beyond the suspension, every sub-system of the Hilux has been refined during 2019 and a number of new parts were tested and manufactured for use in the upcoming 2020 edition of the legendary rally raid event.

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing is spearheaded by reining Dakar Rally winner Nasser and Mathieu looking to defend their title and add to their impressive list of achievements. Toyota stalwart Giniel de Villiers, winner of the Dakar Rally in 2009, is partnered with navigator Alex Haro, with the pair looking to continue the good form they showed when they won the 2019 Rally of Morocco. Bernhard ten Brinke is partnered with Tom Coulsol, both looking to achieve strong results. Completing TOYOTA GAZOO Racing’s exciting line-up is newcomer Fernando Alonso, two-time Le Mans 24 Hours winner, reigning FIA World Endurance Championship title holder with TOYOTA GAZOO Racing, two-time Formula 1 World Champion, and winner of the 24 Hours of Daytona, and Marc Coma, six-time FIM Cross Country World Champion and five-time Dakar Rally winner on the motorbike.

The latest edition of the Dakar Rally will be contested solely in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, made up of twelve competitive stages, with a rest day at the mid-point.

Starting from the city of Jeddah on January 5, a 319-kilometre special stage will see crews tackling fast and winding tracks across sand dunes and rocky terrain concluding at the coastal city of Al Wajh. The following day will see crews traverse some 367 kilometres of tracks with tricky navigation up the coast to the future city of Neom. Stage 3 is a 427-kilometre looped stage, starting and finishing in Neom, crossing canyons and mountains where the Dakar Rally will reach the highest altitude of 1,400 metres. From Neom, crews start to make their way in the direction of the capital city of Riyadh on the fourth day with a 453-kilometre special to Al Ula featuring sand and gravel. The scenery changes on Stage 5 as crews head towards Ha’il on a 353-kilometre stage where huge rock formations will serve as valuable navigational markers, although travelling over sand hills covered in desert grass will require advanced driving skills. Stage 6 sees another scenery change where sand is the predominant feature on this 477-kilometre special finishing in Riyadh for some much-needed rest and repairs.

The first stage after the Rest Day is also the longest stage on January 12 from Riyadh to Wadi Al Dawasir, clocking in at some 546 kilometres over varied terrain, featuring a scattering of sand dunes over the route where navigators will need to be focussed. Stage 8 is another looped stage of 477 kilometres, starting and ending in Wadi Al Dawasir, where crews will be met with mountainous landscapes, canyons and contrasting black stones on white sand. Another 410 kilometres of hard ground and rough terrain will bring crews to Haradh as the rally enters into a new phase. Rub’ al Khali, also known as the “Empty Quarter”, a desert covering some 650,000 square kilometres will be waiting for crews on the marathon Stage 10, where endurance is key to complete the 534-kilometre stage to Shubaytah. The penultimate Stage 11 sees the rally start to make its way back in the direction of Riyadh with crews crossing some of the finest sand dunes in the country and covering 379 kilometres to the village of Haradh. The final stage to Qiddiya is still a 374-kilometre challenge with tricky navigation all the way to the chequered flag on January 17.

Glyn Hall, Team Principal: “Our shakedown went very well. All four TOYOTA GAZOO Racing crews were very happy with the cars, which is good news for me. If the drivers are happy, it means we are well-prepared for the race. Everything is looking good so far, and we are excited for the race to get under way.”

Nasser Al-Attiyah (No. 300): “My third Dakar victory last year was really special. We dominated from start to finish and to give Toyota’s first-ever overall Dakar Rally victory was really special. I had an excellent 2019 season with nine wins from 10 rallies. I only retired in Morocco, but it was actually a good thing. We experienced electrical problems which allowed us to better prepare the car and anticipate other problems for the big race. I’m ready for the Dakar Rally and quite excited. It’s going to be completely different, but I know the terrain very well. I took part in and won races in 2008 and 2011 on this terrain so I know exactly what to expect. The dunes are very tricky and totally different than those in South America. We have the same kind of dunes in Qatar and I grew up driving them with my father. There are only 110 kilometres between the dunes in Qatar in those in Saudi Arabia. The terrain suits me to a tee. So, I believe that I’m the favourite.”

Giniel de Villiers (No. 304): “I grew up on a farm and raced everything I could. It began when I was four with a pedal kart. My father loved motor racing and he passed the bug on to me. I started my career in circuit racing, notably in touring cars before switching to all-terrain. The last Dakar Rally was a huge disappointment. We hit a rock and our hopes for victory were gone on day three. I have experienced a lot of highs and lows last year, but the Rally of Morocco win really boosted my confidence tremendously. I feel good in the Hilux. We’ve been able to make some good improvements during our many tests. Everything is in place. I’m getting used to my new navigator, Alex. We spent a lot of time together with the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Team testing in South Africa. For sure, it’s strange to have someone different next to me, but sometimes change is good. Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia will be new for everyone, except for our teammate Yazeed competing with Overdrive Racing also in a Hilux. The navigation will be interesting. We’ll find ourselves in completely isolated places just like it was when the rally was in Africa. It has been more than ten years since we experienced that. Our objective is still victory.”

Bernhard ten Brinke (No. 307): “I’ve recently sold my business which now gives me more time to do the things I want to do, such as preparing for the Dakar Rally. I’ve shown that I’m capable of Top 5 and podium results. We have the best car with the Toyota Hilux, the support of a full manufacturer team with TOYOTA GAZOO Racing, I have a great navigator in Tom, and my own condition is better than ever. Although there is never a guarantee of success, I know we are well-prepared. Despite some back luck in rallies last year, we’ve shown we’re fast.”

Fernando Alonso (No. 310): “I’m racing in my first Dakar Rally to see what this legendary event is like, but even more so I want to finish it. I know it will be a very big challenge. I don’t think there is anything more different compared to Formula 1 than the Dakar Rally. It’s an interesting and exciting challenge which certainly looks difficult on paper, but I want to take on the challenge, push myself to the limit, and learn from the experience to become a more complete racing driver. The preparation that I’ve done with TOYOTA GAZOO Racing over the past few months enriched me so much as a driver which is one of my priorities when I confront these kinds of challenges: to be better at the end of each experience.”

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