Gazoo Racing: trails and triumphs

IT WAS lessons well learnt as the two Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa (TGRSA) GR Hilux EVOs wrapped up the 2025 South African Safari Rally held around the Sun City Resort in the North West Province at the weekend.

- WILLEM VAN DE PUTTE

The event, sponsored by Toyota Gazoo Racing, was the third round of the World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC).

Wrapping up six days (including the Prologue) of demanding competition, Guy Botterill, Dennis Murphy, Saood Variawa and Francois Cazalet concluded the race with determined performances on the final 111-kilometre special stage around Sun City, bringing home valuable World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) points in the process.

Pushing hard

The stage covered 222 kilometres, featuring two liaison sections split by a high-speed special run through a mix of black sand, soft gravel, rocky outcrops, and dry savannah.

Variawa and Cazalet were first out of the gates, following their stage four win. Opening the route proved to be a challenge, as expected, and they struggled to maintain their winning pace.