As the dust begins to settle on yet another remarkable year of rally-raid competition, all eyes turn to Saudi Arabia, where the world’s toughest motorsport challenge — the Dakar Rally 2026 — is poised to begin on 3 January 2026. From the Red Sea port of Yanbu and winding through deserts, plains and rocky terrain, this legendary event will once again test the limits of man and machine over 13 intense stages through to 17 January.
For Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa (TGRSA), this year’s Dakar represents both a continuation of their rich legacy and an opportunity to shine on the global stage. TGRSA has confirmed a formidable four-crew line-up, each poised to push the team’s refined GR Hilux IMT Evo to its limits in arguably one of the most demanding editions of the rally yet.
The quartet of crews set to represent South Africa and Toyota includes:
• Car #211 – Juan Cruz Yacopini (ARG) / Daniel Oliveras (ESP)
• Car #213 – Saood Variawa (RSA) / Francois Cazalet (FRA)
• Car #218 – Guy Botterill (RSA) / Oriol Mena (ESP)
• Car #240 – João Ferreira (POR) / Filipe Palmeiro (POR)
This diverse and talented roster blends international experience with strong local representation. Variawa and Cazalet arrive as reigning South African Rally-Raid Championship champions, while Yacopini and Oliveras bring their own global rally credentials. Botterill’s consistency and endurance, combined with Ferreira’s navigational expertise, add further depth to the squad.
TGRSA Team Principal Shameer Variawa has expressed confidence after a year of rigorous preparation. “The team has worked incredibly hard throughout 2025, both in competition and behind the scenes, to ensure we arrive at Dakar with a package capable of performing from Day 1,” he said, underlining the meticulous testing and development invested into the Hilux IMT Evo.
Toyota South Africa Motors Vice-President of Marketing Glenn Crompton echoed this sentiment, highlighting Dakar not simply as a race but as the ultimate proving ground for the Toyota Hilux brand. With its harsh environment, extreme distances and unpredictable conditions, Dakar provides unparalleled exposure for Toyota’s core values of Quality, Durability and Reliability — the very attributes that define Hilux worldwide.
Globally, Toyota Gazoo Racing will also field entries at the Dakar Rally through its World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) programme, with other top drivers and new machinery reinforcing the brand’s competitive drive. The event also plays an integral role in the broader championship calendar, setting the tone for the 2026 W2RC season.
For motorsport fans in Africa and beyond, the rally is more than a 15-day competition. It’s a dramatic test of human perseverance, strategic skill and vehicle engineering — qualities that TGRSA embodies with pride. As the engines roar to life in Yanbu this January, BodyShop News Africa wishes Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa every success in facing the unforgiving deserts and shifting sands of Dakar. May their grit, teamwork and South African spirit carry them to new heights in the 2026 Dakar Rally.
Good luck, Gazoo SA — we’ll be cheering for you all the way!
