“Obviously we came here to try to win the race,” said De Villiers, who recorded a ninth place in the end. “But once that dream ended, we were happy to support Nasser and Mathieu’s effort. If we couldn’t win it ourselves, the next best thing was for one of our teammates to take the victory, and I am overjoyed at the final result.”
For Toyota Gazoo Racing SA, the win in Peru comes as the cherry on top of an amazing Dakar record. “This is the one spot we needed,” said an elated Hall after the dust had settled over the 41st edition of the Dakar. “And it feels amazing to finally win.”
Akio Toyoda, President of Toyota Motor Corporation, comments on the team’s victory: “Every year, many entrants choose Toyota cars to take on this tough challenge. This year was no exception; a number of Hilux and Land Cruiser vehicles drove all-out in the approximately 5,000-kilometer, two-week competition. I would like to sincerely thank all teams that chose Toyota for this year's Dakar Rally. Thank you for your hard work!
Mr Toyoda concludes: “I believe each team rose to the challenge, unyielding to the extreme environments of the Dakar Rally, and propelling the Toyota Group's philosophy of “making ever-better cars” considerably forward. This year and going forward, the Toyota Group as a whole will strive to continue making ever-better cars by traversing a wide variety of roads and terrains across the world.”