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Feb

CLEAN RUNS IN DAKAR MARATHON STAGE

- Nasser Al-Attiyah and Mathieu Baumel maintain lead of more than 1hr 20min

- Three stages remain in Dakar 2023

- Out-leg of Marathon Stage completed successfully

Stage 11 of the 2023 Dakar Rally saw competitors race away from the bivouac at Shaybah, in the southeastern part of Saudi Arabia, to a remote bivouac in the Empty Quarter. The competitors have no technical support at the remote bivouac, and have to affect any repairs needed to their cars themselves. However, all three TOYOTA GAZOO Racing crews reported clean runs in their GR DKR Hilux T1+ race cars, bringing a sigh of relief to the entire team.

The fastest of the TGR crews over the 275km-long Stage 11 was overall race leaders, Nasser Al-Attiyah and Mathieu Baumel. The defending champions were 5^th-fastest on the day, trailing the stage winners by just 6min 42sec. Their lead over the second-placed crew is currently 1hr 21min 04sec, with three stages remaining in this year’s race.

Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings continued their good form on Stage 11, recording another faultless stage. The pair are in fourth place overall, and relinquished 7min 22sec to the winners on the stage down to the remote bivouac in the Empty Quarter. Their deficit to the leaders is 1hr 49min 17sec, and they are within 19min of a podium position, despite losing significant time with a broken damper earlier in the rally.

The final TGR pairing of Giniel de Villiers and Dennis Murphy were plagued by punctures earlier in the race, but now that the terrain has become sandier, they have been recording clean stages. On the stage to the Empty Quarter, they went 6^th-fastest, 10min 04sec behind the stage winners. They remain in 5^th overall, 2hr 14min 18sec behind Nasser and Mathieu.

Next up is Stage 12, which will see the competitors return to the Shaybah bivouac via a timed section of 185. There will also be a closing liaison of 167km, joining the end of the stage to the encampment.

For TGR, all three GR DKR Hilux T1+ race cars have now completed more than 7,000 kilometres, with very few technical challenges. Notably, the standard 3.5 litre twin-turbo V6 engine from the new Toyota Land Cruiser 300 has remained fully reliable despite the extreme terrain and conditions, testimony to the quality, durability and reliability that is part of Toyota’s DNA.

Stage 12 is one of the three closing stages of the race, with Stage 13 taking the rally from Shaybah to Al-Hofuf. This will be followed by the final stage from Hofuf to the coastal city of Dammam on January 15^th, bringing the 45^th edition of the Dakar Rally to a close after 14 tough stages.

QUOTES:

Glyn Hall, TGR Dakar Team Principal: “The great news today is that all three our cars got through the first part of the Marathon Stage without any drama – always a worry at this point in the race. Nasser maintained his lead comfortably, while Henk and Giniel posted solid stage results to hold steady in their respective positions in the overall standings. Next up is the wait to see them back here in the bivouac at Shaybah, following Stage 12.”

Nasser Al-Attiyah: “Everything went to plan today for us. We don’t have to push at all, since we have enough time in hand, so the main goal today was to make sure the car is in perfect condition for tomorrow.”

Giniel de Villiers: “There were some tricky dune crossings in the stage, but overall things went okay for us. We just tried to have a clean run and not make any mistakes, and we’re happy to be here at the remote bivouac without any problems.”

Henk Lategan: “It was tricky in the dunes, and we decided to take it easy today. We’ve still been learning more about the dunes, so the last few days have been difficult for us, and we expect more of the same for the next few days. We’re just taking it easy and gaining experience at this point.”

DAKAR 2023: Stage 11 Results

POS.	N°	CREW	TEAM	TIME	VARIATION
1	201	(FRA) SEBASTIEN LOEB(BEL) FABIAN LURQUIN	BAHRAIN RAID XTREME	02H 56′ 14”
2	206	(FRA) GUERLAIN CHICHERIT(FRA) ALEX WINOCQ	GCK MOTORSPORT	02H 58′ 30”	+ 00H 02′ 16”
3	211	(SWE) MATTIAS EKSTROM(SWE) EMIL BERGKVIST	TEAM AUDI SPORT	02H 58′ 40”	+ 00H 02′ 26”
4	230	(BRA) LUCAS MORAES(DEU) TIMO GOTTSCHALK	OVERDRIVE RACING	03H 02′ 26”	+ 00H 06′ 12”
5	200	(QAT) NASSER AL-ATTIYAH(FRA) MATHIEU BAUMEL	TOYOTA GAZOO RACINGGR DKR Hilux t1+	03H 02′ 56”	+ 00H 06′ 42”
6	217	(ZAF) HENK LATEGAN(ZAF) BRETT CUMMINGS	TOYOTA GAZOO RACINGGR dkr hilux t1+	03H 03′ 36”	+ 00H 07′ 22”
7	202	(SAU) YAZEED AL RAJHI(DEU) DIRK VON ZITZEWITZ	OVERDRIVE RACING	03H 05′ 07”	+ 00H 08′ 53”
8	209	(FRA) MATHIEU SERRADORI(FRA) LOIC MINAUDIER	CENTURY RACING FACTORY TEAM	03H 06′ 06”	+ 00H 09′ 52”
9	205	(ZAF) GINIEL DE VILLIERS(ZAF) DENNIS MURPHY	TOYOTA GAZOO RACINGgr dkr hilux t1+	03H 06′ 18”	+ 00H 10′ 04”
10	210	(CZE) MARTIN PROKOP(CZE) VIKTOR CHYTKA	ORLEN BENZINA TEAM	03H 06′ 53”	+ 00H 10′ 39”

DAKAR 2023: Standings after Stage 11

POS.	N°	CREWS	TEAM	TIME	VARIATION
1	200	(QAT) NASSER AL-ATTIYAH(FRA) MATHIEU BAUMEL	TOYOTA GAZOO RACINGGR DKR Hilux T1+	39H 16′ 33”
2	230	(BRA) LUCAS MORAES(DEU) TIMO GOTTSCHALK	OVERDRIVE RACING	40H 37′ 37”	+ 01H 21′ 04”
3	201	(FRA) SEBASTIEN LOEB(BEL) FABIAN LURQUIN	BAHRAIN RAID XTREME	40H 47′ 14”	+ 01H 30′ 41”
4	217	(ZAF) HENK LATEGAN(ZAF) BRETT CUMMINGS	TOYOTA GAZOO RACINGGR DKR Hilux T1+	41H 05′ 50”	+ 01H 49′ 17”
5	205	(ZAF) GINIEL DE VILLIERS(ZAF) DENNIS MURPHY	TOYOTA GAZOO RACINGGR DKR Hilux T1+	41H 30′ 51”	+ 02H 14′ 18”
6	210	(CZE) MARTIN PROKOP(CZE) VIKTOR CHYTKA	ORLEN BENZINA TEAM	42H 10′ 32”	+ 02H 53′ 59”
7	231	(FRA) ROMAIN DUMAS(FRA) MAX DELFINO	REBELLION RACING	42H 20′ 27”	+ 03H 03′ 54”
8	216	(ZAF) BRIAN BARAGWANATH(ZAF) LEONARD CREMER	CENTURY RACING FACTORY TEAM	42H 41′ 04”	+ 03H 24′ 31”
9	224	(CHN) WEI HAN(CHN) MA LI	HANWEI MOTORSPORT TEAM	43H 10′ 40”	+ 03H 54′ 07”
10	220	(ARG) JUAN CRUZ YACOPINI(ESP) DANIEL OLIVERAS CARRERAS	OVERDRIVE RACING	43H 25′ 04”	+ 04H 08′ 31”

source: https://motorpress.co.za//

Feb

NASSER AND MATHIEU IN CONTROL AS EMPTY QUARTER STAGES BEGIN

- Nasser Al-Attiyah and Mathieu Baumel maintain overall lead in Dakar 2023

- Clean stages by Henk Lategan/Brett Cummings and Giniel de Villiers/Dennis Murphy

- Marathon Stage starts with Stage 11

The 2023 Dakar Rally moved to the much-feared Empty Quarter of Saudi Arabia on Stage 10, as competitors tackled a short, sharp stage of only 114km. However, all the crews reported that the stage was unexpectedly difficult, with the winners requiring 1hr 48min 32sec to complete the gruelling stage. Nasser and Mathieu recorded the 4^th-fastest time of the day in their GR DKR Hilux T1+, finishing 5min 45sec behind the winners. This allowed them to maintain their position at the head of the field without any problems.

They rested easy in the knowledge that teammates Giniel and Dennis were close behind them, carrying some spare parts in case the overall leaders required support. For the South African pairing, this role required them to allow Nasser and Mathieu to pass them early in the stage, as Giniel and Dennis were ahead on the road. Despite holding back during the opening part of the stage, they still went 22^nd-fastest, losing just 12min 24sec to the winners on the day. They remain in 5^th place overall, having extended their buffer to the crew behind them during Stage 10.

For Henk and Brett, Stage 10 brought an opportunity to strike back after the difficulties they experienced on Stage 9. However, the stage proved tougher than expected, with many tricky sections to negotiate. They had a clean run, recording the 9^th-fastest time, just 7min 59sec behind the winners. They now find themselves holding steady in fourth overall, 1hr 48min 37sec behind the lead.

Lucas Moraes and Timo Gottschalk, driving a privately entered version of the Toyota Hilux T1+ are still in second place overall, 15min 49sec ahead of the crew in third place. They were third-fastest on Stage 10, relinquishing only 5min 22sec to the chasing pack.

Only four stages remain in the 2023 Dakar Rally, with Stage 11 representing the ‘out-leg’ of the Marathon Stage. The 275km-long stage will see the competitors race away from the main bivouac near Shaybah, to a remote encampment where they will have no service crew to support them – any work or repairs that need to be done on the cars has to be done by the driver and co-driver themselves, with the assistance of only fellow competitors. Stage 12 will see the competitors return to the main bivouac for a normal service at the end of the day.

The penultimate stage of the rally stretches from Shaybah to Al-Hofuf, along the Saudi border with the United Arab Emirates, before the final stage takes the rally from Al-Hofuf to the coastal city of Dammam on January 15^th.

QUOTES:

Glyn Hall, TGR Dakar Team Principal: “Today, all three our crews did exactly what was required of them. Nasser and Mathieu kept out of trouble, maintaining their position at the top. At the same time, Henk and Brett recorded a good stage result, so they’ll have a better road position tomorrow. Finally, Giniel and Dennis played a perfect supporting role to Nasser and Mathieu, but even so, their stage result was very good.”

Nasser Al-Attiyah: “Yes, it was a short stage, but it was a tough one! It took us a long time to complete the stage, but I’m happy to be into the proper dunes now. I also think today was a good test day for the next two days, and we know exactly what we need to do for the Marathon Stage. But the most important step today was to finish the stage without any problems, which is exactly what we did.”

Giniel de Villiers: “A tough stage! Never let a short stage fool you. This was only a 114km stage, but 114km in this terrain isn’t easy at all, and it required full concentration throughout. In the beginning we took it easy in order to let Nasser past, and after that we really just followed him through to the end of the stage. There was some dust in the middle of the stage, but nothing major. Today’s stage gave us a good indication of what to expect over the next few days.

Henk Lategan: “Not an easy stage at all, full of dunes. Very tricky, and the tracks of the guys ahead didn’t really help, as the track was already churned up badly. Even so, I’m glad we managed to get through the first proper dune stage.”

DAKAR 2023: Stage 10 Results

POS.	N°	CREW	TEAM	TIME	VARIATION
1	201	(FRA) SEBASTIEN LOEB(BEL) FABIAN LURQUIN	BAHRAIN RAID XTREME	01H 48′ 32”
2	211	(SWE) MATTIAS EKSTROM(SWE) EMIL BERGKVIST	TEAM AUDI SPORT	01H 51′ 36”	+ 00H 03′ 04”
3	230	(BRA) LUCAS MORAES(DEU) TIMO GOTTSCHALK	OVERDRIVE RACING	01H 53′ 54”	+ 00H 05′ 22”
4	200	(QAT) NASSER AL-ATTIYAH(FRA) MATHIEU BAUMEL	TOYOTA GAZOO RACINGGR Hilux T1+	01H 54′ 17”	+ 00H 05′ 45”
5	202	(SAU) YAZEED AL RAJHI(DEU) DIRK VON ZITZEWITZ	OVERDRIVE RACING	01H 54′ 33”	+ 00H 06′ 01”
6	203	(POL) JAKUB PRZYGONSKI(ESP) ARMAND MONLEON	X-RAID MINI JCW TEAM	01H 54′ 46”	+ 00H 06′ 14”
7	301	(USA) SETH QUINTERO(DEU) DENNIS ZENZ	RED BULL OFF-ROAD JR TEAM USA BY BFG	01H 55′ 17”	+ 00H 06′ 45”
8	322	(CHL) IGNACIO CASALE(CHL) ALVARO LEON	X-RAID YAMAHA SUPPORTED TEAM	01H 55′ 54”	+ 00H 07′ 22”
9	217	(ZAF) HENK LATEGAN(ZAF) BRETT CUMMINGS	TOYOTA GAZOO RACINGGR Hilux T1+	01H 56′ 31”	+ 00H 07′ 59”
10	319	(PRT) HELDER RODRIGUES(PRT) GONCALO REIS	SOUTH RACING CAN-AM	01H 58′ 03”	+ 00H 09′ 31”
22	205	(ZAF) GINIEL DE VILLIERS(ZAF) DENNIS MURPHY	TOYOTA GAZOO RACINGGR Hilux T1+	02H 00′ 56”	+ 00H 12′ 24”

DAKAR 2023: Standings after Stage 10

POS.	N°	CREW	TEAM	TIME	VARIATION
1	200	(QAT) NASSER AL-ATTIYAH(FRA) MATHIEU BAUMEL	TOYOTA GAZOO RACINGGR DKR HILUX T1+	36H 13′ 37”
2	230	(BRA) LUCAS MORAES(DEU) TIMO GOTTSCHALK	OVERDRIVE RACING	37H 35′ 11”	+ 01H 21′ 34”
3	201	(FRA) SEBASTIEN LOEB(BEL) FABIAN LURQUIN	BAHRAIN RAID XTREME	37H 51′ 00”	+ 01H 37′ 23”
4	217	(ZAF) HENK LATEGAN(ZAF) BRETT CUMMINGS	TOYOTA GAZOO RACINGGR DKR HILUX T1+	38H 02′ 14”	+ 01H 48′ 37”
5	205	(ZAF) GINIEL DE VILLIERS(ZAF) DENNIS MURPHY	TOYOTA GAZOO RACINGGR DKR HILUX T1+	38H 24′ 33”	+ 02H 10′ 56”
6	231	(FRA) ROMAIN DUMAS(FRA) MAX DELFINO	REBELLION RACING	38H 59′ 01”	+ 02H 45′ 24”
7	210	(CZE) MARTIN PROKOP(CZE) VIKTOR CHYTKA	ORLEN BENZINA TEAM	39H 03′ 39”	+ 02H 50′ 02”
8	216	(ZAF) BRIAN BARAGWANATH(ZAF) LEONARD CREMER	CENTURY RACING FACTORY TEAM	39H 10′ 05”	+ 02H 56′ 28”
9	224	(CHN) WEI HAN(CHN) MA LI	HANWEI MOTORSPORT TEAM	39H 56′ 59”	+ 03H 43′ 22”
10	220	(ARG) JUAN CRUZ YACOPINI(ESP) DANIEL OLIVERAS CARRERAS	OVERDRIVE RACING	40H 14′ 12”	+ 04H 00′ 35”

source: https://motorpress.co.za//

Feb

Solid results for TGR teams on Stage 9

Stage 9 updates

- Significant time loss for Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings on Stage 9

- Nasser Al-Attiyah and Mathieu Baumel hold steady at head of standings

- Clean stage for Giniel de Villiers and Dennis Murphy

Stage 9 of the 2023 Dakar Rally brought solid results for Nasser Al-Attiyah and co-driver Mathieu Baumel; as well as Giniel de Villiers and co-driver Dennis Murphy. But for Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings, it was a stage to forget, despite the exemplary sportsmanship and camaraderie shown by Toyota Hilux T1+ privateers, Yazeed Al Rajhi and co-driver Dirk von Zitzewitz. By the time the dust had settled over Stage 9, Nasser and Mathieu had retained their lead; Giniel and Dennis had completed a clean stage; and Henk and Brett had relinquished two spots in the overall standings.

For Henk and Brett, second after eight stages of this year’s race, the day went wrong early in the ninth stage, between the Saudi capital of Riyadh and the southern town of Haradh. The pair started the stage as the 4th car into the stage, but just 18km in, they suffered a hard landing after crossing a dune. The car was still carrying a heavy fuel load, which may have been a contributing factor in the left rear damper breaking. This would normally require the crew to wait for support from the chasing truck, but for the GR DKR Hilux T1+ crew, relief came from an unexpected source.

Yazeed Al Rajhi and Dirk von Zitzewitz had run high up the order early in the race but fell foul to a damaged wheel hub in Stage 6, effectively removing them from the race for the podium. The privateers stopped to assist the stricken TGR crew, stripping the damper out of their own car, so that the factory team could continue. The process cost Henk and Brett nearly 50min, but they were able to get back up to full race pace, completing the stage in 63^rd place. This dropped them down from second place after the first eight stages, to fourth place in the general ranking. They are now 1hr 46min 23sec behind Nasser and Mathieu, and only 3min behind the competitor ahead of him in third place.

For Giniel and Dennis, Stage 9 brought a clean run at last. The pair had been plagued by punctures early in multiple stages, forcing them into ‘survival mode’, costing significant time loss. The sandy terrain of Stage 9, however, seems to have worked in their favour, as the TGR crew went 7^th-fastest on the stage, losing 8min 55sec to the stage winners on the day. This means that they retain their 5^th place in the overall standings, with five tough stages in the Empty Quarter to come.

Race leaders Nasser and Mathieu drove another steady stage, finding a good rhythm and measured pace, despite the many water crossings that marked Stage 9. The TGR crew were meant to start the stage as the second car on the road, but the competitor ahead of them missed their start time, forcing Nasser and Mathieu to open the road. They did a perfect job of this, and were just 3sec slower over the 359km-long stage than Giniel and Dennis, maintaining a comfortable 1hr 21min 57sec lead to second place in the overall ranking.

With Henk and Brett moving down the order to fourth place, Brazil’s Lucas Moraes, driving a privately entered Toyota Hilux T1+ together with co-driver Timo Gottschalk, have moved up into second place in the overall standings. The Dakar rookie driver and his experienced navigator are having a dream rally so far, and they’ll be hoping for similar results as the event shifts into the sands of the Empty Quarter of Saudi Arabia.

Stage 10 is the first of a series of short, sharp stages that mark the second week of the race. This one starts in the town of Haradh, with a long liaison of 467km. This will be followed by a stage of 114km, and a final liaison of 42km, bringing the drivers and co-drivers to the bivouac at Shaybah, where the support crews will remain encamped for three days, while the competitors complete the Empty Quarter Marathon Stages. The race will conclude in the city of Dammam on January 15^th after fourteen Stages.

QUOTES:

Glyn Hall, TGR Dakar Team Principal: “It was a very disappointing day for Henk and Brett, losing a lot of time with a broken damper. But we are very grateful to Yazeed and Dirk, who stopped to give the TGR crew a damper from their own car – truly amazing sportsmanship. Nasser and Mathieu had a good day, maintaining their lead at the head of the field, while Giniel and Dennis finally completed a stage without a single puncture. Overall, we’re still in a strong position, despite Henk and Brett losing so much time.”

Nasser Al-Attiyah: “I’m quite happy to finish this stage, as it was not an easy one. We didn’t push at all today, aiming instead just to bring the car home without any problem. We had a lot of water crossings to deal with, which wasn’t straight-forward, but here we are at the finish, and I’m quite happy.”

Giniel de Villiers: “Overall, it was a reasonably good stage for us, as we didn’t have to get out of the car. We struggled a little bit to find the one waypoint, but nothing major, so we’re happy with the day.”

Henk Lategan: “It was a bad stage for us today. Not far from the start, we went over a steep dune with a step-down. At the bottom of the dune, one of our dampers broke, and we knew we were in big trouble. We might have lost hours, were it not for Yazeed Al Rajhi and Dirk von Zitzewitz, who stopped with us. They very graciously stripped the damper out of their own car, and helped us install it in ours. We still lost a lot of time, but Yazeed and Dirk were truly amazing, and we are very grateful to both of them. At least we are still in the race, still in the Top 5, and ready to fight on.”

DAKAR 2023: Stage 9 Results

POS.	N°	CREW	TEAM	TIME	VARIATION
1	201	(FRA) SEBASTIEN LOEB(BEL) FABIAN LURQUIN	BAHRAIN RAID XTREME	03H 07′ 24”
2	213	(LTU) VAIDOTAS ZALA(PRT) PAULO FIUZA	TELTONIKA RACING.	03H 08′ 21”	+ 00H 00′ 57”
3	206	(FRA) GUERLAIN CHICHERIT(FRA) ALEX WINOCQ	GCK MOTORSPORT	03H 09′ 32”	+ 00H 02′ 08”
4	211	(SWE) MATTIAS EKSTROM(SWE) EMIL BERGKVIST	TEAM AUDI SPORT	03H 12′ 35”	+ 00H 05′ 11”
5	231	(FRA) ROMAIN DUMAS(FRA) MAX DELFINO	REBELLION RACING	03H 15′ 02”	+ 00H 07′ 38”
6	203	(POL) JAKUB PRZYGONSKI(ESP) ARMAND MONLEON	X-RAID MINI JCW TEAM	03H 15′ 47”	+ 00H 08′ 23”
7	205	(ZAF) GINIEL DE VILLIERS(ZAF) DENNIS MURPHY	TOYOTA GAZOO RACINGGR DKR HILUX T1+	03H 16′ 19”	+ 00H 08′ 55”
8	200	(QAT) NASSER AL-ATTIYAH(FRA) MATHIEU BAUMEL	TOYOTA GAZOO RACINGGR DKR HILUX T1+	03H 16′ 22”	+ 00H 08′ 58”
9	212	(ARG) SEBASTIAN HALPERN(ARG) BERNARDO GRAUE	X-RAID MINI JCW TEAM	03H 17′ 32”	+ 00H 10′ 08”
10	230	(BRA) LUCAS MORAES(DEU) TIMO GOTTSCHALK	OVERDRIVE RACING	03H 17′ 57”	+ 00H 10′ 33”
63	217	(ZAF) HENK LATEGAN(ZAF) BRETT CUMMINGS	TOYOTA GAZOO RACINGGR DKR HILUX T1+	03H 58′ 59”	+ 00H 51′ 35”

DAKAR 2023: Standings after Stage 9

POS.	N°	CREW	TEAM	TIME	VARIATION
1	200	(QAT) NASSER AL-ATTIYAH(FRA) MATHIEU BAUMEL	TOYOTA GAZOO RACINGGR DKR Hilux T1+	34H 19′ 20”
2	230	(BRA) LUCAS MORAES(DEU) TIMO GOTTSCHALK	OVERDRIVE RACING	35H 41′ 17”	+ 01H 21′ 57”
3	201	(FRA) SEBASTIEN LOEB(BEL) FABIAN LURQUIN	BAHRAIN RAID XTREME	36H 02′ 28”	+ 01H 43′ 08”
4	217	(ZAF) HENK LATEGAN(ZAF) BRETT CUMMINGS	TOYOTA GAZOO RACINGGR DKR Hilux T1+	36H 05′ 43”	+ 01H 46′ 23”
5	205	(ZAF) GINIEL DE VILLIERS(ZAF) DENNIS MURPHY	TOYOTA GAZOO RACINGGR DKR Hilux T1+	36H 23′ 37”	+ 02H 04′ 17”
6	231	(FRA) ROMAIN DUMAS(FRA) MAX DELFINO	REBELLION RACING	36H 45′ 11”	+ 02H 25′ 51”
7	210	(CZE) MARTIN PROKOP(CZE) VIKTOR CHYTKA	ORLEN BENZINA TEAM	37H 04′ 56”	+ 02H 45′ 36”
8	216	(ZAF) BRIAN BARAGWANATH(ZAF) LEONARD CREMER	CENTURY RACING FACTORY TEAM	37H 07′ 26”	+ 02H 48′ 06”
9	224	(CHN) WEI HAN(CHN) MA LI	HANWEI MOTORSPORT TEAM	37H 51′ 35”	+ 03H 32′ 15”
10	220	(ARG) JUAN CRUZ YACOPINI(ESP) DANIEL OLIVERAS CARRERAS	OVERDRIVE RACING	38H 12′ 12”	+ 03H 52′ 52”

source: https://motorpress.co.za//

Feb

Stage 8 – Dakar Rally

All three TGR crews in the Top 5 after Week 1

- 2^nd on Stage 8 for Nasser Al-Attiyah and Mathieu Baumel

- 4^th on Stage 8 for Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings

- All three TGR crews in the Top 5 after Week 1

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing completed the opening week of the 2023 Dakar Rally in a strong position, with all three GR DKR Hilux T1+ cars in the Top 5. Stage 8 of the event, which brought the crews to Riyadh for the Rest Day, saw defending champions Nasser Al-Attiyah and co-driver Mathieu Baumel record the second-fastest time, trailing the stage winners by just 2min 11sec. This leaves the TGR crew with a 1hr 3min 46sec advantage at the head of the field, with six stages remaining in the race.

The second fastest TGR crew on the day was Henk Lategan and co-driver Brett Cummings, who trailed the stage winners home by just 4min 53sec, over the 346km-long stage, which featured very rocky terrain. The pair recorded a clean run on the stage, with the GR Hilux running faultlessly. They remain in second place in the overall standings, placing two of the three TGR crews in first and second place after eight stages.

Giniel de Villiers and Dennis Murphy had a solid day on Stage 7, going fourth-fastest. But Stage 8 bit back, with two punctures early in the stage. The South African Rally-Raid champions were forced into survival mode, driving 240km with no spare tyres, as cars in the T1+ class are only allowed to carry two spares. The crew relinquished 29min 44sec to the stage winners, dropping down to fifth place in the overall standings as a result.

The privately entered Hilux T1+ of Brazilian Lucas Moraes and his German co-driver, Timo Gottschalk, is still in third place in the overall rankings, making it a one-two-three for Toyota at the Rest Day – a remarkable achievement.

Stage 8 was the second part of a ‘mini marathon’ section, with the crews sleeping in a makeshift bivouac near Al Duwadimi after Stage 7. The return stage to Riyadh was a stern test, with many competitors reporting problems over the extremely rocky terrain.

The Rest Day is up next, and offers a day of rest and recuperation for the drivers and co-drivers, while the technical crews strip and rebuild the race cars in preparation for the final assault on the 2023 Dakar Rally. The event will feature six more stages, before concluding in the city of Dammam on 15 January, 2023.

QUOTES:

Glyn Hall, TGR Dakar Team Principal: “The first week of Dakar 2023 is finally done and dusted, and what a week it’s been for our team. If anyone had told me before the race that we’d have all three our cars in the Top 5 at the Rest Day, I’d have been a very happy man. Now this is our reality, and I have to pinch myself to make sure I’m not dreaming. On the other hand, there are still six stages to go, including the Marathon, so we can’t relax at all. The Dakar is never over, and we have a lot of respect for the stages ahead.”

Nasser Al-Attiyah: “Today was a good one for us, and I must say I’m really happy at this point in the race. I think we’ve done a good job so far, despite some big fights with our competitors earlier in the race. But to reach the Rest Day with more than an hour lead was one of our targets, and I’m happy to have achieved this. Now we need to focus on the coming week, as the terrain is completely different.”

Giniel de Villiers: “The luck just doesn’t seem to be on our side this year, and we just can’t string two good days together at the moment. Today, we had to do 240km without any spare tyres, despite taking it easy early in the stage. But then Henk caught up with us after just 60km, and I figured I might’ve been taking it too easy. Just 20km further, we had our first puncture. Another 30km, and we had our second puncture. From there it was back to survival mode to the finish.”

Henk Lategan: “Today, we didn’t really push. We found a good rhythm early on in the rocky sections, which was great as we know how easy it is to get a puncture. We took it really easy in the rocky stuff, and then picked up the pace a bit in the dunes. I think it was a tough day for most competitors, so I’m glad that we managed to keep it clean in the stage today. I do think we have a little more pace left in the dunes, but Brett has been taking a beating, and we’ll save that for when we need it.”

DAKAR 2023: Stage 8 Results

POS.	N°	CREW	TEAM	TIME	VARIATION
1	201	(FRA) SEBASTIEN LOEB(BEL) FABIAN LURQUIN	BAHRAIN RAID XTREME	03H 34′ 24”
2	200	(QAT) NASSER AL-ATTIYAH(FRA) MATHIEU BAUMEL	TOYOTA GAZOO RACINGGR DKR HILUX T1+	03H 36′ 35”	+ 00H 02′ 11”
3	207	(ESP) CARLOS SAINZ(ESP) LUCAS CRUZ	TEAM AUDI SPORT	03H 37′ 55”	+ 00H 03′ 31”
4	217	(ZAF) HENK LATEGAN(ZAF) BRETT CUMMINGS	TOYOTA GAZOO RACINGGR DKR HILUX T1+	03H 39′ 17”	+ 00H 04′ 53”
5	203	(POL) JAKUB PRZYGONSKI(ESP) ARMAND MONLEON	X-RAID MINI JCW TEAM	03H 44′ 43”	+ 00H 10′ 19”
6	206	(FRA) GUERLAIN CHICHERIT(FRA) ALEX WINOCQ	GCK MOTORSPORT	03H 44′ 45”	+ 00H 10′ 21”
7	230	(BRA) LUCAS MORAES(DEU) TIMO GOTTSCHALK	OVERDRIVE RACING	03H 45′ 33”	+ 00H 11′ 09”
8	231	(FRA) ROMAIN DUMAS(FRA) MAX DELFINO	REBELLION RACING	03H 51′ 16”	+ 00H 16′ 52”
9	202	(SAU) YAZEED AL RAJHI(DEU) DIRK VON ZITZEWITZ	OVERDRIVE RACING	03H 51′ 29”	+ 00H 17′ 05”
10	213	(LTU) VAIDOTAS ZALA(PRT) PAULO FIUZA	TELTONIKA RACING.	03H 52′ 39”	+ 00H 18′ 15”
21	205	(ZAF) GINIEL DE VILLIERS(ZAF) DENNIS MURPHY	TOYOTA GAZOO RACINGGR DKR HILUX T1+	04H 04′ 08”	+ 00H 29′ 44”

DAKAR 2023: Standings after Stage 8

POS.	N°	CREW	TEAM	TIME	VARIATION
1	200	(QAT) NASSER AL-ATTIYAH(FRA) MATHIEU BAUMEL	TOYOTA GAZOO RACINGGR DKR HILUX T1+	31H 02′ 58”
2	217	(ZAF) HENK LATEGAN(ZAF) BRETT CUMMINGS	TOYOTA GAZOO RACINGGR DKR HILUX T1+	32H 06′ 44”	+ 01H 03′ 46”
3	230	(BRA) LUCAS MORAES(DEU) TIMO GOTTSCHALK	OVERDRIVE RACING	32H 23′ 20”	+ 01H 20′ 22”
4	201	(FRA) SEBASTIEN LOEB(BEL) FABIAN LURQUIN	BAHRAIN RAID XTREME	32H 55′ 04”	+ 01H 52′ 06”
5	205	(ZAF) GINIEL DE VILLIERS(ZAF) DENNIS MURPHY	TOYOTA GAZOO RACINGGR DKR HILUX T1+	33H 07′ 18”	+ 02H 04′ 20”
6	231	(FRA) ROMAIN DUMAS(FRA) MAX DELFINO	REBELLION RACING	33H 30′ 09”	+ 02H 27′ 11”
7	210	(CZE) MARTIN PROKOP(CZE) VIKTOR CHYTKA	ORLEN BENZINA TEAM	33H 39′ 58”	+ 02H 37′ 00”
8	216	(ZAF) BRIAN BARAGWANATH(ZAF) LEONARD CREMER	CENTURY RACING FACTORY TEAM	33H 45′ 04”	+ 02H 42′ 06”
9	224	(CHN) WEI HAN(CHN) MA LI	HANWEI MOTORSPORT TEAM	34H 18′ 01”	+ 03H 15′ 03”
10	220	(ARG) JUAN CRUZ YACOPINI(ESP) DANIEL OLIVERAS CARRERAS	OVERDRIVE RACING	34H 43′ 20”	+ 03H 40′ 22”

source: https://motorpress.co.za/articles/

Feb

SECOND STAGE WIN FOR TOYOTA GAZOO RACING AT DAKAR 2023

- Stage win for Nasser Al-Attiyah and Mathieu Baumel

- 6^th on stage for Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings

- 8^th on stage for Giniel de Villiers and Dennis Murphy

- Nasser/Mathieu extend overall lead

Another tough day marked Stage 5 of the 2023 Dakar Rally, which saw TOYOTA GAZOO Racing’s Nasser Al-Attiyah and co-driver Mathieu Baumel record their second stage win of the 45^th edition of the race. The pair completed the 374km special stage in 4hr 13min 23sec, placing them 1min 57sec ahead of the second-placed crew. This result has cemented their position at the top of the overall standings, as they are now 22min 36sec ahead of their nearest competitors.

Nasser and Mathieu will also be campaigning their GR DKR Hilux T1+ in the FIA’s World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) this year, in defence of the title they won last year. As such, their performance at Dakar 2023 has a direct influence on that championship too, as the Dakar Rally is Round 1 of the 2023 season. At present, Nasser and Mathieu have earned 12 points towards the W2RC at the race thus far, leaving them three points behind their nearest rivals in the W2RC standings.

Stage 5 was a tough one for TGR’s two remaining crews. Henk Lategan and co-driver Brett Cummings posted the 6^th-fastest time today, some 12min 33sec adrift of the time posted by Nasser and Mathieu. The pair described the terrain on the stage as “punishing” on both the car and the body, and they found the going tough for most of the day. They lost time when a tire bead slipped off the rim after a hard landing into a rut early in the stage, and almost suffered a similar fate much later in the day. Luckily the tire re-seated itself on the second hard landing, and the crew managed to complete the stage without a second tyre change. They remain in 5^th place overall, 57min 58sec behind the lead.

Giniel de Villiers and co-driver Dennis Murphy also had a challenging day. The harshness of the terrain played havoc with their bodies, but they still posted the 8^th-fastest time on the day, 19min 44sec behind the winners. They have retained their 7^th position in the general classification, with a 1hr 7min 57sec deficit to the leaders.

Stage 6 of this year’s Dakar Rally was meant to see the bivouac shift from the city of Ha’il to Al Duwadimi but flooding in the Al Duwadimi area has forced the organisers to reroute the Dakar caravan to the Saudi capital of Riyadh instead. Stage 6 will be shortened by 100 km, and as such the competitors will have to complete a post-stage liaison of 300 km.

The organisers will determine the stages to follow based on the conditions at the time, but the rest day of the 2023 Dakar is schedule for January 9^th, in a bivouac near the Saudi capital of Riyadh. The event will draw to a close on January 15^th, in the Eastern city of Dammam.

QUOTES:

Glyn Hall, TGR Dakar Team Principal: “Today saw the implementation of the FIA’s Equivalence of Technology (EOT), which is a system that is designed to balance the performance between cars that feature vastly different power technologies in the T1 category. The calculations are quite complex, but in essence all the top teams had agreed to this approach prior to the start of the race, and while we were somewhat surprised by the decision, it is in line with the rules and our prior agreement, and it will be implemented throughout the year at the FIA’s W2RC events. The EOT will be reassessed during the Rest Day. In the end, all that we can do is focus on our own race and our own results, and I extremely pleased with Nasser and Mathieu’s win today.”

Nasser Al-Attiyah: “It was a good stage for us today. Not easy at all, and really hard on the body, but despite this we managed to push, and I’m very happy to have won the stage. There’s still a long way to go, but at this point we’re happy to be in the lead. We’ll keep trying to increase our lead, of course, but for now we are content to be at the head of the field.”

Giniel de Villiers: “It was a very physical stage today, very tough on the body and especially on the neck. There were endless fields of camel grass and very tricky dunes. We were caught out a couple of times and had to slow down, before getting back on the attack. Certainly, a very tough stage today!”

Henk Lategan: “We had a good start to the stage, which was run on some sandy tracks. But then we had a problem with one of our tyres, before entering the dunes. I struggled a bit in the dunes, especially compared to some of the crews who have been doing this for many years. We took a couple of hard knocks today, but overall, I’m relieved that we got through a very tough stage.”

DAKAR 2023: Stage 5 Results

	N°	CREW	TEAM	TIME	VARIATION
1	200	(QAT) NASSER AL-ATTIYAH(FRA) MATHIEU BAUMEL	TOYOTA GAZOO RACINGGR DKR HILUX T1+	04H 13′ 23”
2	207	(ESP) CARLOS SAINZ(ESP) LUCAS CRUZ	TEAM AUDI SPORT	04H 15′ 20”	+ 00H 01′ 57”
3	204	(FRA) STÉPHANE PETERHANSEL(FRA) EDOUARD BOULANGER	TEAM AUDI SPORT	04H 17′ 07”	+ 00H 03′ 44”
4	202	(SAU) YAZEED AL RAJHI(DEU) DIRK VON ZITZEWITZ	OVERDRIVE RACING	04H 22′ 06”	+ 00H 08′ 43”
5	206	(FRA) GUERLAIN CHICHERIT(FRA) ALEX WINOCQ	GCK MOTORSPORT	04H 24′ 32”	+ 00H 11′ 09”
6	217	(ZAF) HENK LATEGAN(ZAF) BRETT CUMMINGS	TOYOTA GAZOO RACINGGR DKR HILUX T1+	04H 25′ 56”	+ 00H 12′ 33”
7	230	(BRA) LUCAS MORAES(DEU) TIMO GOTTSCHALK	OVERDRIVE RACING	04H 29′ 39”	+ 00H 16′ 16”
8	205	(ZAF) GINIEL DE VILLIERS(ZAF) DENNIS MURPHY	TOYOTA GAZOO RACINGGR DKR HILUX T1+	04H 33′ 07”	+ 00H 19′ 44”
9	201	(FRA) SEBASTIEN LOEB(BEL) FABIAN LURQUIN	BAHRAIN RAID XTREME	04H 33′ 21”	+ 00H 19′ 58”
10	213	(LTU) VAIDOTAS ZALA(PRT) PAULO FIUZA	TELTONIKA RACING.	04H 33′ 55”	+ 00H 20′ 32”

DAKAR 2023: Standings after Stage 5

	N°	CREW	TEAM	TIME	VARIATION
1	200	(QAT) NASSER AL-ATTIYAH(FRA) MATHIEU BAUMEL	TOYOTA GAZOO RACINGGR DKR Hilux T1+	20H 47′ 36”
2	204	(FRA) STÉPHANE PETERHANSEL(FRA) EDOUARD BOULANGER	TEAM AUDI SPORT	21H 10′ 12”	+ 00H 22′ 36”
3	202	(SAU) YAZEED AL RAJHI(DEU) DIRK VON ZITZEWITZ	OVERDRIVE RACING	21H 14′ 37”	+ 00H 27′ 01”
4	207	(ESP) CARLOS SAINZ(ESP) LUCAS CRUZ	TEAM AUDI SPORT	21H 22′ 28”	+ 00H 34′ 52”
5	217	(ZAF) HENK LATEGAN(ZAF) BRETT CUMMINGS	TOYOTA GAZOO RACINGGR DKR Hilux T1+	21H 45′ 34”	+ 00H 57′ 58”
6	230	(BRA) LUCAS MORAES(DEU) TIMO GOTTSCHALK	OVERDRIVE RACING	21H 49′ 19”	+ 01H 01′ 43”
7	205	(ZAF) GINIEL DE VILLIERS(ZAF) DENNIS MURPHY	TOYOTA GAZOO RACINGGR DKR Hilux T1+	21H 55′ 33”	+ 01H 07′ 57”
8	211	(SWE) MATTIAS EKSTROM(SWE) EMIL BERGKVIST	TEAM AUDI SPORT	22H 23′ 32”	+ 01H 35′ 56”
9	210	(CZE) MARTIN PROKOP(CZE) VIKTOR CHYTKA	ORLEN BENZINA TEAM	22H 39′ 41”	+ 01H 52′ 05”
10	231	(FRA) ROMAIN DUMAS(FRA) MAX DELFINO	REBELLION RACING	22H 39′ 46”	+ 01H 52′ 10”

Source: https://motorpress.co.za//

Feb

Follow the 2023 Dakar Rally – Saudi Arabia

The Toyota Hilux and Land Cruiser 300 are popular off-road vehicles and have been used by enthusiast all over the world to take on various off-road competitions. The Hilux has won the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies in 2016, 2017 and 2021 and the Dakar Rally in 2019 and 2022.
We are happy to share with you that he 2023 Dakar Rally raid event is being held in Saudi Arabia which is the 45th edition of the rally organized by Amaury Sport Organisation.
The event kicked off on the 31st of December 2022 and ends on the 15th of January 2023. This will be the fourth time the rally is being held in Saudi Arabia.
Toyota is once again taking part for it has proven its high quality, durability and reliability in Dakar Rally, well known as world ‘s toughest cross-county rally. The tough tested Toyota models being used are Land Cruiser 300 and the Hilux. Follow the updates and highlights on Instagram and Facebook from the provided links and read more from our website.

https://www.facebook.com/toyotazambia
https://www.instagram.com/toyota_zambia/

Feb

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing on stage 4 of DAKAR 2023

- Nasser Al-Attiyah and Mathieu Baumel 4th on stage and extend overall lead

- 6th on stage for Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings

- 9th on stage for Giniel de Villiers and Dennis Murphy

A relatively clean 4th stage allowed defending champions, Nasser Al-Attiyah and co-driver Mathieu Baumel, to extend their overall lead in the 2023 Dakar Rally to 18min 18sec over the privately entered Toyota Hilux T1+ of Yazeed Al Rajhi in second place. A single puncture was the only blot on an otherwise clean sheet for the Qatari superstar and his French co-driver.

Nasser and Mathieu posted the 4th-fastest time on Stage 4, trailing the stage winners home by just 2min 06sec over the 425km-long special. Their nearest competitors relinquished 7min 04sec on the day, increasing the GR DKR Hilux T1+ crew’s advantage in the overall standings.

Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings also had a successful stage, completing the stage without a single puncture. They started the stage as the second car on the road, which made it somewhat tricky to find the route. However, they found a good pace, often sharing the road with one of their competitors, and making it to the finish just 7min 23sec adrift of the stage winners.

Despite a harsh penalty of 20min incurred in the first stage, Henk and Brett have moved up into 5th place in the overall ranking, just 45min 25sec off the lead, and within 13min of 4th place. Having completed Stage 4 as the 6th-fastest car, they’ll be the 6th car on the road for Stage 5, placing them in a good position from which to attack.

Stage 4 also brought a clean run for Giniel de Villiers and co-driver Dennis Murphy. The pair started the stage as the 27th car on the road, which hampered their progress in the thick, wet sand that marked the early parts of the stage. They pushed on despite the road conditions, recording the 9th-fastest time on the stage, 16min 11sec behind the winners.

This result leaves them in 7th overall, though their deficit to teammates Nasser and Mathieu have grown to 46min 13sec. They are just 46sec behind the crew ahead of them, less than a minute behind Henk and Brett in 5th. Their road position for Stage 5 sees them start in 9th place, which should increase their chances for a more competitive stage time.

Stage 5 of Dakar 2023 will start and finish at the bivouac near the city of Ha’il, where cold weather and a rainstorm marked the arrival of the Dakar Rally on January 3rd. A liaison of 145km will take the crews from the bivouac to the start of the stage, whereafter they will complete a timed special of 374km. Finally, a liaison of 130km will bring them back to the bivouac.

Three more stages will follow Stage 5 before the rally reaches the rest day at the Saudi capital of Riyadh. The second week of the event will take place largely in the so-called Empty Quarter in the southern part of Saudi Arabia, before the event concludes in the coastal city of Dammam on January 15th.

QUOTES:

Glyn Hall, TGR Dakar Team Principal:
“Someone once said that any day where you lead the Dakar is a good day, and as such today was another good day for us. Nasser drove a very steady stage with no problems, to extend his lead at the top by five minutes. So, no complaints today – let’s see what tomorrow brings.”

Nasser Al-Attiyah:
“It was a very difficult day yet again. Not an easy one. But I’m happy to have come through the stage without any serious drama, except for one flat tyre. We finished in fourth place on today’s stage, so our road position tomorrow will be much better. We’re still in the overall lead, and to me it is quite important to hold onto that lead, so that we can control the first week of the race.”

Giniel de Villiers:
“We had a fairly good stage today, though the wet sand made the going quite difficult in the morning. We had a relatively clean day, and the car ran well all day. At the very least we’ve moved up the order in terms of our road position, which should make things a bit easier tomorrow.”

Henk Lategan:
“The stage didn’t start of very well for us, as we struggled to find a good line early in the day. Maybe my inexperience in the dunes showed a bit, but when Stephan [Peterhansel] caught up with us, we managed to follow him for most of the day. When there were roads, we were in front, and when we went off piste, he was in front. We learnt a lot from him today, and overall, we’re happy with today’s result.”

DAKAR 2023: STAGE 4 RESULTS:

POS.	N°	CREW	TEAM	TIME	VARIATION
1	201	(FRA) SEBASTIEN LOEB (BEL) FABIAN LURQUIN	BAHRAIN RAID XTREME	04H11’34”
2	204	(FRA) STÉPHANE PETERHANSEL (FRA) EDOUARD BOULANGER	TEAM AUDI SPORT	04H11’47”	+00H00’13”
3	207	(ESP) CARLOS SAINZ (ESP) LUCAS CRUZ	TEAM AUDI SPORT	04H13’24”	+00H01’50”
4	200	(QAT) NASSER AL-ATTIYAH (FRA) MATHIEU BAUMEL	TOYOTA GAZOO RACING GR DKR Hilux T1+	04H13’40”	+00H02’06”
5	202	(SAU) YAZEED AL RAJHI (DEU) DIRK VON ZITZEWITZ	OVERDRIVE RACING	04H18’38”	+00H07’04”
6	217	(ZAF) HENK LATEGAN (ZAF) BRETT CUMMINGS	TOYOTA GAZOO RACING GR DKR Hilux T1+	04H18’57”	+00H07’23”
9	205	(ZAF) GINIEL DE VILLIERS (ZAF) DENNIS MURPHY	TOYOTA GAZOO RACING GR DKR Hilux T1+	04H27’45”	+00H16’11”

DAKAR 2023: STANDINGS AFTER STAGE 4

POS.	N°	CREW	TEAM	TIME	VARIATION
1	200	(QAT) NASSER AL-ATTIYAH (FRA) MATHIEU BAUMEL	TOYOTA GAZOO RACING GR DKR Hilux T1+	16H34’13”
2	202	(SAU) YAZEED AL RAJHI (DEU) DIRK VON ZITZEWITZ	OVERDRIVE RACING	16H52’31”	+00H18’18”
3	204	(FRA) STÉPHANE PETERHANSEL (FRA) EDOUARD BOULANGER	TEAM AUDI SPORT	16H53’05”	+00H18’52”
4	207	(ESP) CARLOS SAINZ (ESP) LUCAS CRUZ	TEAM AUDI SPORT	17H07’08”	+00H32’55”
5	217	(ZAF) HENK LATEGAN (ZAF) BRETT CUMMINGS	TOYOTA GAZOO RACING GR DKR Hilux T1+	17H19’38”	+00H45’25”
7	205	(ZAF) GINIEL DE VILLIERS (ZAF) DENNIS MURPHY	TOYOTA GAZOO RACING GR DKR Hilux T1+	17H20’26”	+00H46’13”

source: https://toyotagazooracing.com/dakar//

Feb

Toyota Service Plan -Launched

To serve our customers better, CFAO Motors (Zambia) Limited has launched the Toyota Service Plan.

Customers have an option of choosing between 5 years/100,00km or 5 years/150,000km (whichever comes first) service cover. The service plan can be purchased from any of the Toyota branches in Zambia and covers the standard replacement parts, lubricants, and labour of regular scheduled services. The scheduled intervals for Toyota Vehicles are 5,000km and replacement parts are stipulated for each interval by the manufacturer based on the service mileage.

For more information you can call us on +260971268000 or WhatsApp us on +260764862705

Feb

Guaranteed Buy Back Scheme – In Partnership With FNB

We are excited to inform you that Cfao Motors (Zambia) Limited and FNB Zambia have partnered to the Guaranteed Buyback Scheme which will provide a more affordable and rational finance solution to corporations and individuals at large. In this scheme the customer can finance the ownership of a new vehicle for a tenure of between 12 and 60 months, while CFAO Motors guarantees the residual value. At the time of maturity, the customer will have the option to take the ownership of the vehicle by making the full payment either through cash or securing another finance arrangement or returning the vehicle to CFAO Motors.

The following are the benefits of the Buy Back Scheme:

- You can structure your payment plan as per your comfort and needs.

- Every Toyota vehicle financed by Toyota Buyback Guarantee comes with Toyota Service Plan.

Note the following
(1) Monthly Repayment Rate: $500 includes principal, interest rate and VAT. The rate excludes Full Comprehensive Insurance, which is mandatory, however, the customer is at liberty of choosing an insurance provider.
(2) Vehicle Hilux Double Cab 2.4L GD-6 4×4 6M/T Comfort Plus price: $50,600 with VAT
(3) Service Plan for 5 years and 100,000km, whichever comes first price: $4,900 with VAT
(4) This scheme is currently only available to FNB customers

We are excited to assist you in making you commute in style and class with our partnership with FNB Zambia. For more information call us now on 0971268000. Terms and Conditions apply

Feb

Chipolopolo’s’ New Coach – Mr. Avram Grant

Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) have officially presented Israeli coach Avram Grant as the new head coach for the Chipolopolo.

Speaking at the press briefing, Mr. Kamanga the FAZ president stated that the former Chelsea and Ghana coach comes with experience and has penned a two-year deal with an option to extend subject to performance. Mr. Kamanga further stated that he has all the confidence that Avram Grant will take the Chipolopolo to greater heights. While at the press briefing, Mr. Grant said he received many offers but chose Zambia because he sees potential in the talents that Zambia has at its disposal. When asked about the pressure he is about to face from the public at large, “I love the pressure, it’s what makes the game beautiful,” he said. “I will be almost clocking 50 years in my coaching career, and I understand what it means to play under pressure. There has always been pressure everywhere I have coached. Yes, I received other offers, but I was looking for the right challenge, and I chose Zambia because I have seen so much potential, and I thank the Football Association of Zambia for choosing me.” I came here because of the challenge, and I look forward to making history”, he said.

Zambia has missed out on qualifying for the Africa Cup of Nations three times in a row; the last time they took part, in 2015, they were eliminated at the group stage.

Congratulations to Avram Grant for the new role of Zambian National Team Coach, we wish him success in his new role.

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