Second place on Stage 2 of 2023 Sonora rally for TGR’s Nasser and Mathieu
• 2nd place on Stage 2 for Nasser Al-Attiyah and Mathieu Baumel
• TGR crew in 2nd place overall, trailing by narrow margin
TOYOTA GAZOO Racing's accomplished duo, Nasser Al-Attiyah (Qatar) and Mathieu Baumel (France), tackled Stage 2 of the 2023 Sonora Rally in Mexico, finishing second with a 2min 45sec gap to the stage winners. This result has moved the TGR crew from first to second in the overall rankings, but they remain close contenders, trailing the race leaders by just 3 seconds.
Stage 2 of the event was shortened for safety reasons; however, it still presented a challenging test for the competitors. The stage took place in the region surrounding Puerto Peñasco, Mexico, which is characterised by a mix of desert landscapes, rugged mountain ranges, and arid plains. The diverse terrain includes rocky trails, dry riverbeds, and sandy dunes, demanding both skill and endurance from drivers and their vehicles.
Al-Attiyah and Baumel started strong in the Sonora Rally by winning the opening stage near Hermosillo, covering a distance of 170 km. They continued to demonstrate their resilience and capabilities in Stage 2, driving the formidable GR DKR Hilux T1+, which previously brought them victories in the 2022 and 2023 Dakar Rallies.
In the World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC), points are awarded for each stage of the rally, in addition to the overall results. Nasser scored 5 points for winning the opening stage and 4 points for coming second in Stage 2. As a result, he is currently a single point ahead in the scoring of the Sonora Rally, after the opening two stages of the event. However, these points are lost if the crew fails to complete the event, as the TGR crew did in Abu Dhabi, following an uncharacteristic crash that forced them to withdraw from the event.
Looking forward to Stage 3, the competitors will face a looped stage starting and finishing near the town of Peñasco. The terrain in this region is diverse, featuring desert landscapes, sandy dunes, and rocky trails similar to those near Hermosillo. Stage 3 will be the longest of the event, covering a distance of 350 km, with liaisons totalling 116 km linking the stage to the bivouac.
The Sonora Rally, Round 3 of the W2RC, is crucial to the team's W2RC title defence as they currently trail the championship leaders in the season standings. The experienced drivers have already proven their abilities by winning the 2023 Dakar Rally (Round 1 of the W2RC) but faced a setback after crashing out of Round 2, the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge.
The Sonora Rally will conclude on April 28 in San Luis, Mexico, with the teams preparing to face more demanding stages in the coming days.
QUOTES:
Alain Dujardyn, TGR W2RC Team Principal: "Stage 2 of the Sonora Rally was a tough one for TGR, with Nasser and Mathieu opening the road after their victory on the opening stage. This made navigation tricky, but even so, they managed to restrict their time loss to just 2min 45sec – a stunning performance, underscored by the toughness and reliability of our Dakar-winning GR DKR Hilux T1+.”
STAGE 2 RESULTS:
CREW | CLASS | TEAM | TIME | |
| 1 | S. LOEB (FRA) / F. LURQUIN (BEL) | T1 | #200 – BAHRAIN RAID XTREME | 1:28:28 |
| 2 | N. AL-ATTIYAH (QAT) / M. BAUMEL (FRA) | T1 | #201 - TOYOTA GAZOO RACING | +2:45 |
| 3 | M. BAUMGART (BRA) / K. CINCEA (BRA) | T1 | #211 – X Rally Team | +3:13 |
| 4 | C. BAUMGART (BRA) / A. ANDREOTTI (BRA) | T1 | #210 – X Rally Team | +3:33 |
| 5 | G. CHICHERIT (FRA) / A. WINOCQ (FRA) | T1 | #204 – GUERLAIN CHICHERIT | +3:50 |
STANDINGS AFTER STAGE 2:
CREW | CLASS | TEAM | TIME | |
| 1 | S. LOEB (FRA) / F. LURQUIN (BEL) | T1 | #200 – BAHRAIN RAID XTREME | 3:03:16 |
| 2 | N. AL-ATTIYAH (QAT) / M. BAUMEL (FRA) | T1 | #201 - TOYOTA GAZOO RACING | +0:03 |
| 3 | G. CHICHERIT (FRA) / A. WINOCQ (FRA) | T1 | #204 – GUERLAIN CHICHERIT | +4:57 |
| 4 | S. HALPERN (ARG) / B. GRAUE (ARG) | T1 | #205 – X-RAID MINI JCW TEAM | +5:55 |
| 5 | Y. AL RAJHI (SAU) / T. GOTTSCHALK (DEU) | T1 | #207 - OVERDRIVE RACING | +6:49 |
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Two of TOYOTA GAZOO Racing W2RC's key sponsors, Red Bull and Eurol, have committed to share in the team's W2RC journey for 2023, supporting Nasser and Mathieu's efforts through TGR. Eurol is the Dutch developer and producer of lubricants, additives, cleaners, technical fluids and specialty products, available in over 90 countries worldwide. Innovation, quality and sustainability are core values of the Eurol brand. Eurol provides TOYOTA GAZOO Racing with the Eurol Specialty Racing line with SYNGIS Technology, for extreme high-performance levels under all circumstances.
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 Nasser, Mathieu and TGR over numerous years, and the involvement bore fruit when Nasser and Mathieu won a second Dakar title for TGR in January 2022.
The team is also supported by Jonsson Workwear and USN.
