Strong Rally of Morocco finish for TGR as 2024 W2RC season ends
Pending final results, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing has secured the Manufacturer Title in the 2024 World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC). Additionally, Lucas Moraes finished the season in 3rd place in the Drivers’ Championship, marking a remarkable achievement in his first full season in the championship. The team wrapped up a challenging Rallye du Maroc, with both Moraes and Seth Quintero delivering strong performances during the final stage.
Stage 5 saw competitors tackle the final 273 km timed special, traversing gravel tracks and sand, with tricky navigation and fast-paced driving required throughout the day. Despite the challenges, both TGR crews delivered commendable performances as they closed out the 2024 edition of the rally.
Lucas Moraes had an eventful day, catching up with Nasser Al-Attiyah early in the stage and eventually running alongside Sébastien Loeb to finish the day in 4th place. Moraes, in his first-ever Moroccan event, gained valuable experience that he believes will be instrumental as preparations shift towards the Dakar Rally. He finished the rally in 14th place overall, after losing significant time in Stage 3 of the 5-stage event.
Seth Quintero, meanwhile, completed the stage in a spectacular 2nd place. Despite a few mechanical setbacks throughout the event, Quintero consistently fought back to finish 5th overall in the rally, rounding off a competitive performance across the five stages.
The 2024 Rallye du Maroc proved to be a highly demanding event for both TOYOTA GAZOO Racing crews. With difficult terrain that included everything from fast gravel tracks to technical sand dunes, the rally pushed competitors to their limits. For Moraes, his debut Moroccan outing provided essential preparation for the Dakar, and his consistent top finishes reflect his growing strength as a driver in the W2RC. Meanwhile, Quintero, facing a series of technical challenges, showed his ability to stay focused and work through the challenges that came his way.
With the completion of the Rallye du Maroc, the 2024 W2RC season comes to an end, and TOYOTA GAZOO Racing can reflect on an impressive campaign. Lucas Moraes finished 3rd in the overall FIA W2RC rankings, demonstrating his potential as one of the top drivers in the championship. He ends the season 62 points behind the leader, but his performance across multiple events, including his victory in Stage 2 of the Rallye du Maroc, showcases his growing confidence and skill.
Seth Quintero wraps up the season in 6th place overall, having shown flashes of brilliance throughout the year. Despite some setbacks during the 2024 W2RC, including mechanical issues at key moments, Quintero remains a key competitor with promising potential for future rallies.
In the Manufacturer standings, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing continues to lead the way, having secured a commanding position in the rankings. While the final allocation of points for the Rallye du Maroc is still pending, the team’s consistent performance across the season leaves them in a strong position to retain their title .
Quotes
Lucas Moraes:
“The stage was really nice; I enjoyed it a lot. We caught Nasser quite early and then saw another competitor with issues, so we were second in the row behind Yazeed. Loeb passed us later on, and we managed to latch on to him until the finish. I learned a lot today, and I’m really happy with the team’s performance. My first time in Morocco, and I was surprised at how tough the race was—some days were harder than Dakar. This was great preparation for Dakar, and I think we’re in a good position to fight there.”
Seth Quintero:
“Today went well. I made a little mistake in the beginning, lost a few minutes, but then we locked into the guys in front of us. We had a small rear differential issue that slowed us down, but all in all, it wasn’t a bad day. I’m happy to finish the event in one piece and close out the season. It’s been a great learning experience, and I’m ready to build on this for next year.”
RALLYE DU MAROC – STAGE 5 RESULTS
| 1 | #219 | S. Loeb / F. Lurquin | (Dacia Sandriders) | 02h 31min 22sec |
| 2 | #207 | S. Quintero / D. Zenz | (Toyota GAZOO Racing) | +02:20 |
| 3 | #208 | D. Krotov / K. Zhiltsov | (Overdrive Racing) | +03:40 |
| 4 | #202 | L. Moraes / A. Monleon | (Toyota GAZOO Racing) | +03:48 |
| 5 | #322 | M. Goczal / D. Ortega Gil | (Energylandia Taurus Factory Team) | +05:56 |
| 6 | #212 | C. Gutierrez / P. Moreno | (Dacia Sandriders) | +06:07 |
| 7 | #307 | E. Goczal / A. Haro | (Energylandia Taurus Factory Team) | +07:41 |
| 8 | #200 | N. Al-Attiyah / E. Boulanger | (Dacia Sandriders) | +08:11 |
| 9 | #215 | J. Yacopini / D. Oliveras | (Overdrive Racing) | +08:33 |
| 10 | #211 | M. Baumgart / K. Cincea | (X Rally Team) | +08:41 |
RALLYE DU MAROC – STANDINGS AFTER STAGE 5
| 1 | #200 | N. Al-Attiyah / E. Boulanger | (Dacia Sandriders) | 14h 26min 34sec |
| 2 | #219 | S. Loeb / F. Lurquin | (Dacia Sandriders) | +05:10 |
| 3 | #206 | G. de Mevius / M. Baumel | (X-Raid Mini John Cooper Works Team) | +13:45 |
| 4 | #201 | Y. Al Rajhi / T. Gottschalk | (Overdrive Racing) | +23:30 |
| 5 | #207 | S. Quintero / D. Zenz | (Toyota GAZOO Racing) | +29:31 |
| 6 | #209 | M. Prokop | (Orlen Jipocar Team) | +47:16 |
| 7 | #307 | E. Goczal / A. Haro | (Energylandia Taurus Factory Team) | +47:37 |
| 8 | #208 | D. Krotov / K. Zhiltsov | (Overdrive Racing) | +54:45 |
| 9 | #322 | M. Goczal / D. Ortega Gil | (Energylandia Taurus Factory Team) | +57:28 |
| 10 | #215 | J. Yacopini / D. Oliveras | (Overdrive Racing) | +58:23 |
| 14 | #202 | L. Moraes / A. Monleon | (Toyota GAZOO Racing) | +01:21:05 |
W2RC DRIVERS RESULTS AFTER RALLYE DU MAROC STAGE 5
| 1 | N. Al-Attiyah | Dacia Sandriders | 202 |
| 2 | Y. Al Rajhi | Overdrive Racing | 160 |
| 3 | L. Moraes | Toyota GAZOO Racing | 117 |
| 4 | C. Sainz | X-Raid Mini JCW Team | 100 |
| 5 | G. de Mevius | X-Raid Mini John Cooper Works Team | 100 |
| 6 | S. Quintero | Toyota GAZOO Racing | 81 |
| 7 | G. Chicherit | X-Raid Mini John Cooper Works Team | 80 |
| 8 | R. Bacuiska | CAN-AM Factory Team | 60 |
| 9 | D. Krotov | Overdrive Racing | 59 |
| 10 | M. Prokop | Overdrive Racing | 51 |
W2RC MANUFACTURER RESULTS AFTER RALLYE DU MAROC STAGE 5
| 1 | Toyota Gazoo Racing | 227 |
| 2 | Nasser Racing by Prodrive | 190 |
| 3 | X-Raid Mini JCW Team | 137 |
| 4 | Team Audi Sport | 76 |
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.
