“The race will be longer. Looking forward to it”

The clean sheet continues for Giniel De Villiers with 19 consecutive appearances on the Dakar without a single retirement, which puts him just one participation away from the record held by Yoshimasa Sugawara in the truck category (1989-2009). In addition to this flattering statistic, the South African driver remains a metronomic example of consistency, with only one finish outside the Top 10 (in 2007). De Villiers has finished in the Top 5 14 times, on the podium seven times, and he won in 2009 in a Volkswagen Touareg when the Dakar arrived in South America. His last participation in Saudi Arabia remains a disappointment, despite a respectable 5th place, as a recalcitrant oil pump caused him to lose a good hour on stage seven. De Villiers is now 50 years old but remains a precious asset for the Toyota Gazoo team. Based in South Africa, he devotes most of his time to the development of the Hilux, taking advantage of the South African championship, which he won again this season. Fourteen years after his only victory and five years removed from his last podium finish, De Villiers, along with his navigator for the past six years in the South African championship and the past two in the Dakar, Dennis Murphy, hopes to experience the joy of winning stages again.

G.D.V.: “I grew up on a farm and raced everything I could get my hands on. It started when I was four years old in a pedal go-kart. My father loved motorsports and passed the virus on to me. Then I started on the track, especially in touring cars, before moving on to off-road.
Last year, from a performance point of view, we weren't too bad. We would have finished on the podium if an oil pump hadn't come loose and cost us an hour. So, I was pleased with the car's performance, and then Nasser won the race for the team, which was great. Overall, the team had a great rally. This year, obviously, we have prepared well for the race. Once again, I won the South African championship, which is obviously good for my confidence before the Dakar. The car handles really well. There are no significant changes. We are ready for the rally, and I look forward to this new challenge. The race will be two days longer, so it will return to normal conditions. It seems to me that David Castera will make the rally a bit harder, which will suit us. I am looking forward to it, and I feel strong and confident. I think we can do well.”