Marko Hanželic
At Toyota, this year’s Dakar is being tackled as a title defender among motorists since Nasser Al-Attiyah defends last year’s overall victory. Racing Hilux have been developed in South Africa in recent months, but there are no major changes compared to last year's rally. The petrol V8 will still be used for propulsion, as will the geometry and individual wheel mounting. "Despite everything, we managed to make great progress, especially because we had the opportunity to take the South African Championship by car," explanation Glyn Hall, the first man of the team Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa.
It is the reliability and refinement of individual details that can bring extra seconds of advantage that is what they focused on at the South African division of the Japanese brand. Compared to the South American versions, they had to adjust the operation of the engine at lower altitudes, but they admit that it is much easier for them, as it is maximum permissible value 37 mm can be achieved much easier than in the Andes, where air is rarer.
At this year's Dakar, Toyota will compete with four racing cars, and the main favorite on paper is definitely Nasser Al-Attiyah, who himself does not run away from the burden of the first favorite of the race: “Last year I won nine of the ten rallies I competed in. Only in Morocco was I forced to resign due to electronics problems. In this way, I got to know the car well, and I also took part in the Baje 1000 in California, where I also gained additional experience in a slightly different marathon rally. I know the terrain in Saudi Arabia well, as I have performed here in the past years. Qatar is close, so this is almost a home race for me and yes, I feel like the first favorite. "
An old acquaintance from Formula 1 will also compete in the fourth car with the Toyota logo, Fernando Alonso, which will be together with the co-driver Marco Como tried to surprise the old Dakar cats. Alonso says that his main goal is to finish the race, while learning to the maximum and achieving his maximum. The same is true for the Como passenger, which will be tested for the first time in the passenger role, as celebrated five times during mo
