Toyota Gazoo Racing Dominates Dakar Stage Two: A Historic Lockout!
In an electrifying turn of events at the Dakar Rally, Toyota Gazoo Racing has made a striking comeback, delivering one of the most sensational performances in recent history. After a somewhat rocky start in Stage One, where only two Toyotas cracked the top ten, the Japanese powerhouse roared back to life in Stage Two, seizing the top five spots and solidifying their dominance with an astounding seven trucks finishing in the top ten!
This remarkable achievement marks the first time since 2007 that a manufacturer has swept the top five positions in a stage, a feat previously accomplished by Volkswagen. Seth Quintero, alongside co-driver Andrew Short, led the charge, completing the grueling 400km stage with a blistering time of 3 hours, 57 minutes, and 16 seconds, securing the first stage victory for the highly anticipated 2026 Toyota Hilux.
The action-packed day began with Saood Variawa and Francois Cazalet taking an early lead in their Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa entry, demonstrating fierce competitiveness as they held their ground through the first quarter of the stage. However, the relentless Quintero quickly overtook the 20-year-old driver, pushing Variawa to second place. Despite valiantly hanging on and being just 71 seconds off the pace at the halfway mark, Variawa succumbed to the pressure from last year’s champion, Yazeed Al Rajhi, who would finish third, just 14 seconds behind Henk Lategan, who claimed second place after starting from 17th.
The Toyota domination didn’t stop there! Toby Price paired with Armand Monleon and the duo of Joao Ferreira and Filipe Palmeiro rounded out an extraordinary top five, showcasing the sheer power and precision of Toyota’s engineering. Meanwhile, the standout performance of the day belonged to Simon Viste and co-driver Max Delfino, who piloted their two-wheel-drive Optimus-Chevvy to a commendable sixth place—the best result of Viste’s career and the highest finish for a non-Toyota competitor!
In a fiercely competitive environment, Sébastien Loeb finished in seventh, narrowly edging out his Dacia Sandriders teammate Nasser Al-Attiyah by a mere 24 seconds. Despite the fierce competition, Al-Attiyah clung to the overall lead by a slim seven seconds over Quintero. The top contenders are separated by less than three minutes, with Guillaume de Mévius, Henk Lategan, and Sébastien Loeb all in striking distance as the tension mounts heading into the next stages.
In the motorcycle category, Daniel Sanders claimed victory after overtaking rookie teammate Edgar Canet, taking command of the race. Sanders expressed relief and determination after facing the challenges of the previous day. “After yesterday, we fixed our heads, rested, and felt much better. The navigation was really tricky in some places, but we fixed a couple of mistakes quickly and maintained a good rhythm,” he stated, emphasizing the importance of strategy in this grueling rally.
As the Dakar Rally unfolds, Toyota Gazoo Racing has undeniably sent shockwaves through the competition, proving that their legacy in the sport is far from over. Buckle up for more thrilling action as these fearless drivers continue to battle it out in the unforgiving terrain of the Dakar!
