Good results for TGR on Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge Stage 2

Stage 2 of the 2024 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge brough more good results for TOYOTA GAZOO Racing. Having finished the day in 3rd and 4th place respectively, the two factory crews find themselves well within the Top 5 after two of the rally's five stages. Stage 2 of the second round of the 2024 World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) saw the teams complete a timed stage of 239km over challenging dunes and sandy tracks. Seth Quintero and co-driver, Dennis Zenz, were fastest of the TGR crews, bringing their GR DKR Hilux EVO T1U home just 3min 18sec behind the stage winners.

Seth and Dennis started their Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge at the sharp end of the field, opening the first stage after posting the 10th-fastest time in the Prologue. This initially put them on the back foot, but the American driver and his German navigator bounced back in Stage 2, showing the pace that has cemented them as one of the top teams in this year's W2RC. Their solid showing on Stage 2 saw them move up into 4th place in the overall standings, just 11min 41sec behind the leaders.

Stage 2 also brought a strong performance by Lucas Moraes and Armand Monleon. The Brazilian driver and his Spanish co-driver have proven highly consistent in the past, and Stage 2 was no exception. The Toyota Hilux crew were just 4min 43sec off the winning pace, and trailed their teammates to the finish by only 1min 25sec. This power performance has seen them move into second place in the overall standings, 8min 31sec behind the leaders.

While both TGR crews performed extremely well on the second stage of this year's Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, the stage win went to Guerlain Chicherit and his co-driver, Alex Winocq. The all-French crew brought their privately-entered Toyota Hilux to the finish in a winning time of 3hr 15min 58sec, 2min 44sec ahead of the second-fastest crew.

The race will reach its mid-point with Stage 3, which takes place on Thursday, February 29. The stage will again start and finish at the bivouac at Mezaira'a, with the crews completing a timed section of 252km, again comprising mainly sandy tracks and dunes. A liaison of 85km will bring the crews from the bivouac to the start of the stage; with a closing liaison of 78km bringing them back to Mezaira'a. The 2024 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge will draw to a close on Saturday, March 2.

QUOTES:

Alain Dujardyn, W2RC Team Principal: 

"Stage 2 of this year's Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge brough good results for our crews. Both Seth and Lucas drove exceptionally well, and were it not for a tricky dune crossing near the end of the stage, Lucas may well have finished even higher up the order. We are pleased with our position in the overall standings, and are looking forward to the next three stages. At the same time, I would like to wish Guillaume de Mevius well with his recovery, after a particularly hard landing which forced him to withdraw from the race after a promising start."

Seth Quintero: 

"We had a lot of fun today. Unfortunately, at the beginning, we didn't get to start behind anybody. So, we had to try to make our own pace. But overall, we had an amazing time. We had a good dice with Chicheret, going back and forth and going as fast as we can. The entire team has been doing an amazing job, and we're on the podium today. Hopefully, we can make the podium again the next few days. We're really looking for a stage win, but it's a long way to go. So, we'll see what happens."

Dennis Zenz: 

"It was really tough and rough for the body, really tough for the car. A lot of short dunes, broken dunes... Our speed was a bit higher than yesterday, but for me today was definitely rougher."

Lucas Moraes: 

"Today's stage was a bit freaky. I mean, it's my first time here in Abu Dhabi, and it is a challenge. These dunes here are very very hard to to cross and to judge, to measure the speed that you're going. Sometimes, the ground just disappears below you and it's really, really hard. Still, we are second overall now, and it is amazing! We are right there in the fight, so we'll keep pushing over the next three days."

2024 ABU DHABI DESERT CHALLENGE - STAGE 2

2024 ABU DHABI DESERT CHALLENGE - STANDINGS AFTER STAGE 2

Partners

Red Bull has established itself as the premiere supporter of extreme sports and athletes, and as such fits perfectly with TOYOTA GAZOO Racing's Dakar and W2RC efforts. The Austrian energy drink manufacturer has partnered with TGR over numerous years, and the involvement bore fruit when the team won a second Dakar title in January 2022, and a third in 2023.

SpeedMax is a CantuStore's private label, which is the largest omnichannel platform and leader in tire replacement market in Brazil. SpeedMax promotes maximum performance through high-performance tires that suit all types of vehicles, from passenger cars to trucks and tractors, as well as inner tubes and truck wheels.