Al-Attiyah and co-driver Baumel dominated the 45th edition of the iconic DAKAR rally by taking the lead in Stage 3 and never relinquishing that position. When their GR DKR Hilux T1+ crossed the finish line in the Saudi Arabian city of Dammam on 15 January, their winning margin was 1hr 20min 49sec.
This year’s Dakar Rally was driven in Saudi Arabia and consisted of 14 stages with a total distance of 8,549km, of which 4,706km on timed stages. The race was particularly tough in terms of the terrain, with many competitors commenting that, while their cars might be able to take the punishment, their bodies might not. With that said, Nasser and Mathieu never missed a beat, and the same can be said for their GR DKR Hilux T1+.
Overall, Toyota teams dominated the Dakar 2023 with four Toyota Hilux T1+ cars in the Top 5 – a true power performance.
The mighty GR DKR Hilux T1+ is powered by a twin-turbo petrol V6 engine of 3.5l, coming from the Toyota Land Cruiser 300. It has proven extremely reliable, underscoring Toyota’s quality and engineering.
With a highly reliable car, it came as no surprise that Nasser and Mathieu completed the race without mishap. They drove at a steady, measured pace. This year’s event spent nearly a week in the so-called Empty Quarter of Saudi Arabia – an area in the south-eastern corner of the country, which is sparsely populated and strewn with massive sand dunes.
