With just one day to go before the flag drops on the arduous, 15-day, 9 000 km, cross-continental Dakar Rally, Team Toyota Imperial Motorsport from South Africa has won its first battle of the rally by simply delivering the two Imperial Toyota Hilux double cab pickups and the six tons of spare parts and equipment that will contest the marathon event, to the start line.
Once the Hiluxs had landed on South American soil they were cargoed by truck to Lima in Peru, where the 34th Dakar Rally starts tomorrow, January 5th, before finishing in Santiago in Chile on January 20th. The South African team flew in on December 28th.
Both Imperial Toyota Hiluxs had to be reassembled in Toyota Peru’s workshop following their flight across the Atlantic, while the six tons of spares and equipment needed to be off loaded and packed into the team’s support trucks. Both Hilux pickups successfully completed two days of shakedown testing.
“We’re good to go,” declared team manager Glyn Hall. “The lads have been extremely busy since arriving here and everything has gone according to plan. The planned test went very well and both drivers are happy and ready for Saturday’s opening stage.
“We just have scrutineering and documentation to complete and then the long build-up is over. We’re well prepared – better than last time – and we all feel good about the challenge that lies ahead,” said Hall.
2009 Dakar Rally winners Giniel de Villiers and Dirk von Zitzewitz, in the #301 Hilux, will start Saturday’s opening special stage in second place behind last years winners, Nasser Al-Attiyah of Qatar and Lucas Cruz of Spain in a largely untested, American-built V8 buggy. South African off-road champions Duncan Vos and Rob Howie in the #312 Hilux will start in 13th position.
Saturday’s stage consists of a 250 km liaison section followed by a 13 km special stage that will end in Pisco.
Follow the South African team’s progress on Twitter at @ToyotaLive and on Facebook.
