Toyota Gazoo Racing Hilux pair ready for Mzansi Safari Rally

Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa (TGRSA) is returning to international competition as the team takes on Round 3 of the 2025 World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) in the South African Safari Rally, which will be based in and around Sun City.

This event not only marks the first African round of the 2025 W2RC season, but it is also the first ever W2RC round to take place in Southern Africa. T

he Citizen Motoring will be right there in the thick of the action when the chequered flag comes down on Saturday.

TGRSA fields two locally-prepared GR Toyota Hilux EVOs, driven by Saood Variawa and Guy Botterill, respectively.

Variawa, partnered by French navigator Francois Cazalet, currently sits 14th in the W2RC drivers’ championship with 17 points.

Botterill, who raced in this year’s Dakar Rally, as well as the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, will be partnered by Dennis Murphy.

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Toyota Hilux gets special livery

“We decided to pay homage to the typical South African safari vehicle, with the livery of our cars for this race,” explains TGRSA team principal, Shameer Variawa.

“When you go to the bush, you will find beige-coloured game viewers or ranger support vehicles more often than not. Given that we will be racing in that same terrain this coming week, we felt that it was apt to reflect the African heritage in our liveries. Remember, this is not a bakkie – it’s a Hilux!”

In terms of refinements to the vehicle, Variawa says that the GR Toyota Hilux EVO will sport several upgraded components, as well as a refined suspension setup for the race.

“This is terrain that we are very familiar with, and we know how to extract the most from our cars here on home ground.”

Five full stages

The rally begins with a 9km Prologue stage on Monday, which will determine the starting order for Stage 1.

The event then unfolds over five competitive stages, totalling more than 1 200km of timed specials and covering over 2 600km in total.

Each day presents a fresh test for competitors, both in terms of speed and navigation.

The terrain across the event will include fast gravel roads, rocky outcrops, soft sand, and dry riverbeds -demanding a versatile setup and a strategic mindset.

Sections around Thabazimbi, Mafikeng, and Stella will present both high-speed opportunities and navigation traps, while the closing stages will wind back into the rugged bushveld near Sun City.

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Committed to rally-raid

Weather forecasts indicate clear skies and mild autumn conditions, with temperatures expected to hover in the mid-20 degrees during the day.

These dry conditions should favour high-speed racing, though dust could be a factor, particularly for crews starting deeper in the field.

“To us, partnering with the organisers to bring the South African Safari Rally to life, is an opportunity to underscore our commitment to rally-raid racing, to motorsport as a whole, but also to the many South African Toyota Hilux fans,” says Glenn Crompton, senior vice-president of marketing for Toyota South Africa Motors.

“Beyond our sponsorship of the event, we are looking forward to seeing our newly liveried GR Toyota Hilux EVOs take on the global competition on home soil, and we can’t wait to see them in action.”