Morizo comment on Dakar Rally 2024
Auto salons are not the only New Year's festivals where car enthusiasts gather. An equally traditional and more extreme festival for car lovers, on an even bigger scale, is held at the beginning of each year. It's the Dakar Rally.
Happy New Year to everyone who crossed the finish line in the Dakar Rally and finally celebrated the true start of the New Year. Thank you very much for your hard work on the 8000km long 15-day drive.
To everyone at TOYOTA GAZOO Racing,
No. 206 Lucas Moraes and Armand Monleon, No. 209 Giniel de Villiers and Dennis Murphy, No. 216 Seth Quintero and Dennis Zenz, No. 226 Saood Variawa and Francois Cazalet, and No. 243 Guy Botterill and Brett Cummings who took on the challenge in the Hilux and completed the rally. Congratulations!
In total, the five cars have trained the Hilux on roads equivalent to one circumnavigation of the earth. Toyota will utilize everyone's driving skills to make the Hilux an "ever-better car". Thank you very much!
To everyone who took on the Dakar challenge in a hydrogen engine buggy,
“People who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world.”
I heard that the organizers complimented you on how crazy you are to think you can change the world.
I also think it's crazy to try to develop a hydrogen engine. But it's super fun and super exciting. That's why this year marks the fourth year of Morizo and his team's ongoing challenges with a hydrogen engine.
Thank you everyone for taking on this crazy challenge. Let's continue to create the future together!
To everyone at Hino Team Sugawara,
Congratulations on finishing sixth in your class and completing your 33rd consecutive Dakar!
Trucks that allow drivers to drive comfortably and reach their destinations with less strain are in demand around the world.
We hope you will continue to strive for a truck that is as comfortable as a regular passenger car and has an even better ride!
To everyone at Team Land Cruiser TOYOTA AUTO BODY,
Congratulations on winning the commercial car category for the 11th consecutive year!
Ronald Basso and Jean Michel Polato in car No. 501 overcame some trouble to complete the course, which was tougher than usual. Thank you for honing the Land Cruiser again this year!
I think car No. 500 achieved victory thanks to three people: driver Akira Miura alongside two navigators, Mayuel Barbe and the late Laurent Lichtleuchter, who was always watching over them.
This year's Dakar may have been a painful one for Miura. I'm really happy that car No. 500 was able to cross the finish line with the best result. Congratulations.
By chance, I made a promise with Team Land Cruiser called "V12". The promise was made when it was a V8. At the time, I thought it was a long road to a V12, but now I'm just one step away. That's really amazing. Team Land Cruiser, thank you for your continued support in "making-ever better Land Cruisers"!
An ordinary guy who loves cars,
Morizo