Valuable W2RC points for TGR’s Nasser and Mathieu on stage 3 of Sonora Rally

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing's accomplished duo, Nasser Al-Attiyah of Qatar and Mathieu Baumel of France, completed Stage 3 of the 2023 Sonora Rally, achieving the 3rd-fastest time on the 350 km-long special stage, the longest of the rally. Despite facing a fuel pressure problem throughout the stage, which impacted the performance of their GR DKR Hilux T1+, the team managed to secure a third-place finish. This performance allowed them to regain the overall lead of the race, with a gap of 2 minutes and 51 seconds to their nearest rivals, Yazeed Al Rajhi and Timo Gottschalk.

Al-Attiyah and Baumel reported that the terrain of Stage 3 was highly suited to their car, as it felt more similar to the stages they encountered on the Dakar Rally, where they achieved victory in both 2022 and 2023. In contrast, the earlier stages of the Sonora Rally featured tighter, more rally-like terrain. The team's adaptability and perseverance in the face of varying conditions are evident in their strong performance thus far.

Meanwhile, Al-Attiyah and Baumel's main championship rival crashed during the stage, forcing their withdrawal. Thankfully, both the driver and co-driver were unharmed in the accident.

Al Rajhi and Gottschalk, who pilot a privately entered Toyota Hilux T1+, secured victory in Stage 3, finishing more than three minutes ahead of the second-placed crew and beating the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing team of Al-Attiyah and Baumel by 3 minutes and 55 seconds.

As the rally progresses, Nasser Al-Attiyah now leads the World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) points tally for the Sonora Rally, followed closely by Al Rajhi. This development highlights the intense competition between the teams as they vie for victory in Mexico.

Looking ahead to Stage 4, competitors will face another looped stage in the Peñasco area, covering a stage distance of 248 km and liaisons of 237 km. This penultimate stage will test the teams' resilience and determination as they approach the conclusion of the rally.

The 5-stage Sonora Rally will draw to a close on Friday, April 28, with the final stage taking the crews to San Luis. As the event enters its final stages, TOYOTA GAZOO Racing remains focused on achieving strong results and continuing their title defence in the W2RC.

QUOTES:
Alain Dujardyn, TGR W2RC Team Principal: "Today was a fantastic day for the team, despite our Dakar-winning GR DKR Hilux T1+ struggling with a fuel pressure problem. Nasser and Mathieu finished third on the stage, and regained the lead of the race. At the same time, they have also taken the W2RC points lead for this event. To top things off, Yazeed and Timo won the stage in their Toyota Hilux T1+, so Stage 3 was certainly a good one for Toyota as a brand, and TOYOTA GAZOO Racing as a team.”

Nasser Al-Attiyah: “Stage 3 of the rally was really interesting. It was a tough one for everyone in the field, but we managed to do a good job despite our small fuel pressure problem, restricting the amount of time we lost. This gives us a good starting position for Stage 4, and we hope to build on our overall lead in the rally with the aim of winning the Sonora Rally in our first attempt at the event.”

Mathieu Baumel: “The plan for us today was really to follow Sebastien Loeb through the stage as much as possible, but unfortunately, he had an accident after 12km, so we had to change our strategy. We were opening the stage all day, which made things tricky. Then we also suffered two punctures, in addition to our fuel pressure problem, so we’re really relieved to have come through the stage with relatively little time lost. Now, we have two stages left in the event, so our attention shifts to the championship, and gaining as many points as possible.”

STAGE 3 RESULTS:

STANDINGS AFTER STAGE 3: