TOYOTA GAZOO Racing leads Safari Rally with one stage remaining

The 2025 South African Safari Rally is heading into a final-day showdown after another strong showing from TOYOTA GAZOO Racing (TGR) on Stage 4 of the event. The day saw two TGR crews finish inside the top 10, with Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings (#205) reclaiming the overall lead and placing themselves in prime position for the final push.

Stage 4 took the rally into the Waterberg region, near Thabazimbi, featuring a technical and fast-paced 224km special stage. The route was preceded by a 263km liaison, followed by a 206km road section that returned competitors to the overnight bivouac at Sun City. Terrain conditions remained dry, with a mix of twisty, wooded sections in the early kilometres giving way to more open, flowing tracks through the bushveld. Navigation once again played a key role, particularly in the final 40km where finding the correct route proved challenging for several crews.

Lategan and Cummings started the day determined to claw back time in the general classification and made the most of their more favourable road position. They maintained a strong pace through the early and middle parts of the stage and reeled in multiple competitors along the way. Although they lost some time toward the end of the stage in difficult navigation sections, they still managed to post the seventh-fastest time of the day. Their consistent performance now places them back at the top of the overall leaderboard, with a narrow 39-second lead over their nearest rival.

Seth Quintero and Dennis Zenz (#204) also delivered a confident drive, completing the stage fifth-fastest and improving their overall standing to fourth, just 2min 48sec off the rally lead. Their pace and start position were both critical factors in staying close to the front, and the crew is now well-positioned for a final push as the rally heads into its last stage.

Lucas Moraes and Armand Monleon (#203) were holding a strong rhythm until a navigational error late in the stage cost them time. The pair had been on track for a potential top-five stage finish, but the mistake in the closing kilometres saw them drop down the order slightly. Despite this, they remain fifth overall, just 2min 59sec off the lead — and only 18 seconds off a provisional podium position.

As with previous stages, all three GR Hilux EVOs ran faultlessly over the demanding terrain. The vehicles’ reliability has been a cornerstone of TGR’s success throughout the rally, with each crew able to attack the stage with confidence in their machinery.

Stage 5, the final leg of the Safari Rally, will take place tomorrow and will be based entirely around Sun City, serving as a loop stage that closes out the rally. Crews will tackle a 111km special stage, following a 78km road section, with a short 33km liaison linking the stage to the final service park and ceremonial finish. The route will include a blend of surfaces, with fast, flowing sections expected. The stage will favour those willing to push to the limit — and with less than three minutes separating the top five overall, a flat-out sprint to the finish is all but guaranteed.

Quotes:

Seth Quintero: "The team is in a great position right now. Three cars in the top five is hard to do, and for all of us to be up there is a good sign. And every single one of us is in reach of the lead, so it's gonna be a tight battle tomorrow. The whole TOYOTA GAZOO racing team's been doing an amazing job, and it shows to have three cars in the top five. There's not one crumb that I can leave on the table tomorrow."

Henk Lategan: " I wouldn't say it was perfect, but it was a good day for us. We started off really well, despite some tricky sections in the beginning. But then it started opening up and becoming a bit more flowy and we could really start pushing. Then towards the end, we lost a little bit of time. But it is anybody's game, and it's going to be a flat-out battle for the win tomorrow."

Lucas Moraes: "It was a good day until 20km to finish. We made some small navigation errors that we need to understand what happened. But for sure we lost more than two minutes there. We'll try to give a big push and to help put two or even three cars on the podium tomorrow."

South Africa Safari Rally 2025 – Stage 4 Results

South African Safari Rally 2025 – Standings after Stage 4

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