All three Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa crews complete the gruelling 371km second leg as Dakar 2026 rolls on in Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia (09 January 2026) – The Dakar Rally is still in full swing in Saudi Arabia, and South African motorsport continues to make its presence felt as TOYOTA GAZOO Racing South Africa (TGRSA) successfully completed the demanding two-day Marathon stage with all three crews safely back in the bivouac.
While much of the early attention this week fell on Stellenbosch’s Puck Klaassen, who etched her name into Dakar history with a Challenger class stage win, and on Saood Variawa’s strong pace alongside navigator François Cazalet earlier in the rally, the spotlight now shifts to the endurance and precision required during the second leg of the Marathon.
Stage 5 brought one of the toughest tests of Dakar 2026 so far. Crews faced a 371km special stage, making up a total distance of 427km, with no external assistance allowed overnight. The route demanded a careful balance of speed, tyre management and sharp navigation, rewarding those who could keep their composure under pressure.
João Ferreira and navigator Filipe Palmeiro led the charge for TGRSA, delivering their cleanest performance of the rally to finish eighth on the stage, just over six minutes off the winning time.
Saood Variawa and François Cazalet endured a more challenging day, finishing 19th after losing time in heavy dust and a difficult navigation zone that caught out several competitors. Despite showing strong pace early on, the pair were delayed while running in traffic, highlighting just how unforgiving the Marathon stages can be.
“It was one of those days where everything just didn’t line up. But the most important thing is that the car is in one piece, and we move on.”
Guy Botterill and Oriol Mena also produced a solid and encouraging performance, finishing 10th on the stage. Crucially, they avoided punctures across both Marathon days, a key achievement given the rocky terrain and high speeds.
“The pace felt good, and we managed the car well. Dust made overtaking tough, but overall it was a positive step forward for us.”
With the Marathon stage complete, all three TGRSA crews demonstrated resilience under some of the harshest conditions Dakar has to offer. As the rally heads toward Riyadh and the much-anticipated Rest Day, the focus now turns to recovery and preparing for the decisive second half of Dakar 2026.
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