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Issue #24:November 22, 2021
The team structure and rally-spec cars for the 2022 Dakar rally were announced on Friday, November 19, 2021. TLC is taking on the challenge, this time for a 9th consecutive victory in the production car category.
The announcement opened with comments from President Masui of Toyota Auto Body Co., Ltd. who took us back in time to look at the Land Cruiser’s 70-year history. He also introduced the Land Cruiser’s overwhelmingly successful performances in the Dakar Rally along with the car’s reliability, driving performance and toughness – all attributes which have been built up over the years and repeatedly demonstrated. He added his thoughts on motorsports activities, saying the Dakar Rally is a way to find clues to make ever better Land Cruisers in the future, and that this is the purpose of TLC’s continued participation in the production car category.
Moreover, he announced the Land Cruiser 300 Series which launched in August 2021, is planned to debut in the 2023 Dakar Rally, making it the 200 Series’ last run in the 2022 rally. He expressed gratitude to the 200 Series for joining the rally on the frontlines for 14 years since 2009, which has in turn continued to develop and strengthen both people and cars over that time.
Next, from team principal Honda, an explanation was given regarding the participation of the 2022 team and their structure.
Team manager Yuji Kakutani (Toyota Auto Body, Public Relations Division) will be continuing in his role.
Car #1 will be taken by Akira Miura (Toyota Auto Body, Public Relations Division) and Laurent Lichtleuchter as the ace car. Car #2 will be taken by Ronald Basso and Jean-Michel Polato who have been added to the team since the 2021 rally.
For the mechanic’s, two Japanese mechanics will be joining the team which is led by Philippe Challoy who has been leading the team for many years. From Fukuoka Toyota Corporation, mechanic Yuta Nakatake is joining for his third year, and Mechanic Naoki Anami will be making his debut in the 2022 rally. There, they will be supporting the team in this tough and harsh rally.
In addition, a combination of French and Japanese staff brings the team structure to a total of 19 members.
The base vehicle for the 2022 rally car is the Land Cruiser 200 Series, where it will run for the last time. The automatic transmission adopted since the 2020 rally is being carried over, and newly developed tires by TOYO TIRE Corporation who we have newly partnered up with are being used for the first time.
The team will be striving for their 9th consecutive victory in the production car category with a high level of performance – the culmination of 14 years of hard work – befitting a last run for the 200 Series.
TLC appereciates and humbly requests everyone's warm support for the 2022 Dakar Rally which is being held in Saudi Arabia between 2-14 January 2022.
Click here for team structure details
https://www.toyota-body.co.jp/dakar/en/season2022/team/