Toyota Gazoo Racing gears up for epic Dakar challenge

• Three all-new DKR GR Hilux to take on the Dakar Rally from 3-17 January
• Gruelling 5,000-mile route includes more than 3,000 miles of special stages
• Toyota Gazoo Racing W2RC aiming for fourth Dakar victory

Toyota Gazoo Racing W2RC (TGR W2RC) are ready for the toughest test in motorsport and aiming for a fourth victory in the Dakar Rally, taking place in Saudi Arabia from 3-17 January.

Since its inception in 1979, the Dakar Rally has pushed drivers and vehicles to the limit in an unrivalled contest of skill and endurance over unforgiving terrain. TGR W2RC have exploited the legendary strength of the Toyota Hilux to win the event three times: in 2019, 2022 and 2023.

The 2026 Dakar Rally starts and finishes in Yanbu on the Red Sea, covering around 5,000 miles, with more than 3,000 miles of competitive action across fast desert dunes, narrow rocky paths, and rugged mountain passes. The route takes in the ancient oasis city of AlUla, the capital Riyadh, a picturesque loop around Wadi Ad-Dawasir, the dunes of Bisha and the riverbeds of Al Henakiyah, before returning to Yanbu.

Competitors face two marathon stages, on 7-8 January and 13-14 January, during which crews receive no external assistance. This means they must sleep alongside their vehicles in standard-issue tents and eat ration packs for meals. Only one rest day is scheduled, in Riyadh on 10 January.

To take on the challenge, TGR W2RC are fielding three of its new, stronger DKR GR Hilux, crewed by a formidable line-up of drivers and navigators.

Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings won an FIA World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) event for the first time on their way to third in the 2025 drivers’ and navigators’ standings. They will drive the No202 DKR GR Hilux in Saudi, aiming to go one better than their second place in the 2025 edition.

Rising star Seth Quintero, who earned his first W2RC podium finish and a top-10 result at the 2025 Dakar, will drive the No203 DKR GR Hilux alongside navigator Andrew Short.

Although Toby Price is a relative rookie on four wheels, he is a Dakar champion with two wins in the bikes category to his name. After making his Dakar Ultimate class debut in 2025 in a privately entered Toyota Hilux, he will drive the No204 DKR GR Hilux alongside Armand Monleón.

The all-new DKR GR Hilux will be making its World Championship debut. It shares the powerful appearance of the recently revealed ninth generation road-going Hilux and benefits from a new tubular chassis that provides increased torsional stiffness while reducing the vehicle’s weight. A new and stronger transmission is also being introduced.

The Dakar Rally is the opening round and the highlight of the 2026 FIA World Rally-Raid Championship season. The five-event W2RC series includes events in Portugal (12-22 March), Argentina (24-29 May), Morocco (28 September-3 October) and Abu Dhabi (22-27 November).

Team quotes

Henk Lategan: “After a lot of preparation and hard work from the whole TGR W2RC team, we are excited to get this Dakar started. We have a brand-new DKR GR Hilux, which has shown very promising performance in testing and with Seth on the Baja Dubai, so I’m looking forward to seeing what it can do. Brett and I are going into this event a lot better prepared after a whole season of W2RC behind us. That experience has been invaluable and now we are just eager to see if all the hard work will pay off.”

Seth Quintero: “I feel confident, motivated and ready to race. I have a different feeling just because of the work TGR W2RC has put into the car and into me. I’m very excited to get behind the wheel of the new DKR GR Hilux and explore new possibilities. I’ve already seen the speed from testing, and it is confidence-inspiring. We’ve got an amazing team with amazing team-mates. I’m sure we’ll be fighting with each other at the front, but we are good friends, so it’s going to be fun.”

Toby Price: “I’m excited for Dakar 2026. Working with Armand in the car has been great, it’s a very good match, and I’m looking forward to racing in the Dakar alongside him. It’s the biggest event on our calendar so we want to deliver a good, strong performance. The mechanics and everyone behind the scenes have been working super hard to get the new car ready, and now it’s up to us to do the job. My bags have been packed for a few weeks now, so I’m excited to get underway.”

2026 DKR GR Hilux technical specifications

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