Victory for Toyota Gazoo Racing W2RC in Morocco
- DKR GR Hilux conquers challenging conditions to win the Rallye du Maroc
- Seth Quintero and Andrew Short seize the championship race advantage with victory
- Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings claim third place
Toyota Gazoo Racing W2RC (TGR-W2RC) overcame the harsh desert environment to win the Rallye du Maroc on Saturday, the penultimate round of the 2026 FIA World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC).
The new-for-2026 DKR GR Hilux demonstrated its improved performance and durability over difficult terrain on a rally which tested drivers, navigators and vehicles to their limits.
The 937 miles of timed action featured rocky tracks and spectacular sand dunes – including a section in the Sahara Desert – on a route which created drama and excitement. TGR W2RC started the final day in first and second overall but faced a high-speed final stage of more than 160 miles to secure a double podium finish.
Seth Quintero and navigator Andrew Short delivered another composed drive to earn their second consecutive W2RC victory. Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings also stood on the podium thanks to their third place. Hilux crews swept the top three, with Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa’s João Ferreira and Filipe Palmeiro finishing second.
Quintero and Short had established a strong foundation for a victory challenge over the opening days before asserting themselves at the front as their rivals fell away. The No203 DKR GR Hilux took the overall lead on the penultimate day and safely navigated Saturday’s finale. Sixth place on Stage 5 confirmed victory by 4 mins 23 secs and elevated the pair into the lead of their respective World Championships.
Lategan and Cummings finished a rollercoaster rally on the podium. The No202 DKR GR Hilux overcame technical issues on Monday to win Stage 2, before losing time as the first car on the road during the following stage. However, they showed strong pace in the final days to move back into podium contention. They held second overall until late in Stage 5 but dropped to third after finishing the day 10th.
Akira Miura and Armand Monleón displayed speed and consistency despite the demanding desert terrain but were denied an overall top-10 finish by technical issues for their No204 DKR GR Hilux on Stage 3. They responded well and recovered positions in the final two stages and ended the rally strongly with 11th place on Stage 5. That left them in 30th overall.
Heading into the final event of the W2RC season, Quintero and Cummings lead their respective World Championships by 14 points. Meanwhile, TGR W2RC are now 46 points behind World Championship leaders Dacia Sandriders, setting up a grandstand finish in the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge on 22-27 November.
Team quotes
Henk Lategan: “It was a great race for the team, to get a one-three is awesome for the team and I’m really happy about that. We had a tough start and day one put us out of position, so we were a bit on the backfoot from there. We opened the stage on a couple of difficult days, but we tried to recover as much as we could and to get a podium is a great result. Well done Seth and Andrew for taking the win.”
Seth Quintero: “It feels absolutely amazing to win, and to get back-to-back victories is simply incredible. Coming away with the World Championship lead means it’s been a great week. The rally was brutal, but the team worked so hard to give me the car I needed every single day. I couldn’t be happier to be part of the awesome TGR-W2RC family. Now I’m looking forward to the last round where there is everything to fight for.”
Akira Miura: “Firstly, congratulations to Seth and Andrew for their victory, and to Henk and Brett for finishing on the podium. It’s a great result for the team. These five days have been a good experience for me and Armand. We tried many things with the team and built up our confidence. Of course I was aiming for a better overall result, but we will keep pushing until the end of the season. Thanks to the team and all the TGR fans for their support.”
ENDS
