Toyota Gazoo Racing wins Round 1 of the SARRC

We joined team Toyota Gazoo Racing at the first round of the 2022 SA Rally-Raid Championship in Mpumalanga this past weekend.

Rally drivers are arguably the helmsmen who command the most respect. The sheer skill, guts and bravery needed to cover vast distances of inhospitable terrain at blistering pace simply boggles the mind. When given the opportunity to spectate Mzansi’s premier off-road motorsport event with Toyota Gazoo Racing I simply couldn’t turn down the offer.

This was the Mpumalanga 400 the season-opening race for the 2022 South African Rally-Raid Championship (previously the South African Cross-Country series) it’s not an event for half-hearted individuals. The racing is fierce, the rivalry is bitter and the landscape although spectacular is unforgiving and treacherous.

Gazoo 2

We collected a Toyota Hilux Legend RS 4×4 double-cab at OR Tambo and hightailed the 250 km to Dullstroom for the racing. Upon entering the rain-soaked town thanks to a typical Highlands thunder storm, we couldn’t ignore the hordes of bakkies and adventure SUVs parked in queues outside of the lodges, restaurants and farm stalls before heading deeper into the countryside.

To best witness the race, we were part of an adrenalin-fuelled convoy driving between the choice viewing spots along the route. Our lead vehicle, a Toyota Fortuner VX 4×4, was equipped with an aftermarket satellite navigation unit with the GPS coordinates of our selected stops. Needing to make good time not to miss any of the action, the pace of the convoy on the slippery and rocky paths was high and well above my preferred level of comfort.

Gazoo 3

With the Legend RS set to high-range four-wheel drive, Power mode engaged and the transmission set to Sport we managed the rural Dullstroom tracks with few dramas, utilising the accessible 150 kW and 500 N.m and thankfully just one flat tyre was changed. In these challenging driving conditions we got to appreciate the well-known off-road stability and capability of the Hilux despite the merciless weather. 

Our efforts to chase the Toyota Gazoo Racing team along the slippy and rocky route was not in vain as the pairing of Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings in their DKR Hilux T1+ won the Mpumalanga 400. The off-road rallying bug has bitten hard and we’ll be keeping a close eye on the SA Rally-Raid Championship as the season continues.

Gazoo 1

 

Words: Damian Adams

 

The post Toyota Gazoo Racing wins Round 1 of the SARRC appeared first on CAR Magazine.


The Car Guide

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Topical tips on buying used – Chapter 1

Image
Buying a used car can be harrowing, whether privately or from a dealer. Here are some tips, as well as some things to watch out for. Beware of low mileages, especially on smaller or cheaper cars. It is always possible that the odometer has been turned back. Some things to bear in mind are:- diesels are often bought because they the driver needs to undertake long trips without consuming vast amounts of fuel. This could be a sales rep, or someone travelling large distances to work, lots of lengthy trip for family holidays, etc. So, usually higher mileages than normal. An expensive or luxury car may not see much time on the road, but very seldom a “workhorse”. This makes the executive cars likely to have a lot more life left than the overworked and abused hatchback. These also spend most of their life in a home garage or undercover parking lot at work. Related: Someone paid more for a mint BMW 325iS Evo 2 than a used M4 A vehicle without any service history is a serious disadvantage
Read more

Like Lego? Then the R8-engined Rhino RR01 Kit Car From Lithuania is For You

Image
The Rhino RR01 is presented as an affordable Audi R8-engined supercar that’s both street-legal and geared for the track, here’s all you need to know about the new model.  Image: Rhino Looking for your next sportscar? Find it here with CARmag.  This groundbreaking vehicle is the inaugural supercar hailing from the Baltic state of Lithuania, born and crafted in Kaunas, 100 km away from the capital city of Vilnius. Surprisingly, it was conceived by yacht engineers who had minimal experience in the automotive world by painstakingly developing the car from scratch. All monocoque design, chassis, bodywork, interior, and electronics were done by themselves. While the prototype borrowed the engine from an ‘Audi R8’, the ‘Kit Car’ model offers the freedom to install various engines, allowing drivers to experience the thrill of a racing car on both roads and tracks. Image: Rhino Lithuania has contributed individual components to major car manufacturers, but until now, the country had ne
Read more

Could this teased Lancia sports car be a reborn Stratos?

Image
Lancia recently teased a coupe-looking model, waiting to be unveiled in their Multiverse. Could this then, signify the return of a historic moniker like the Stratos to the struggling automaker? Image: Lancia #MakeLanciaGreatAgain – a social media phrase that has been making the rounds for the better part of a decade. World Rally Championship titles, Formula 1 single-seat winners and some other gems in between. The Italian automaker litters dates in history and motorsport, with some truly revolutionary ideas and models that aided their bid to become one of the most successful motorsport manufacturers of all time. But that is all in the past. Lancia now contends sole markets with a platform-shared model but there have been ambitious plans under Stellantis ownership to kick-start the automaker and make them great again… words that delight so many enthusiasts and aficionados. Related: Automobili Amos debut Martini Racing Livery Lancia Delta and Safarista What better way to do this th
Read more