Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa (TGRSA) is set to compete in the Rally of Morocco, which takes place from September 28 to October 3. The team will enter three GR Hilux IMT EVOs in the event, which is the fourth round of the 2026 FIA World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC). TGRSA arrives at the rally unbeaten in the domestic championship, having won every round of the 2026 South African Rally-Raid Championship (SARRC) so far.
The Rally of Morocco will cover a total distance of 2,524 kilometers, with 1,575 kilometers of timed stages. The event starts in Agadir on the Atlantic coast and finishes in the desert town of Zagora. A shakedown takes place on the opening day, followed by Stage One on Tuesday, which covers 268 timed kilometers. The rally then runs a four-day loop out of Zagora into the Chegaga and Chebbi dune fields, with the longest timed stages reaching 384 kilometers.
TGRSA has a strong lineup of drivers and navigators for the rally. Championship leader Guy Botterill and his navigator Henry Köhne will run car #216, while Saood Variawa and Charan Moore will run car #215. Portugal's João Ferreira and Filipe Palmeiro will drive a third GR Hilux in TGRSA colors, with car #240. Botterill and Köhne are looking to gain experience and prepare for the 2027 Dakar Rally.
For Botterill, the Rally of Morocco is also a preparation event for the 2027 Dakar Rally. He tweaked his wrist in a heavy moment on Stage Two of the Outeniqua 400 and still has a niggle in his left hand, but a doctor has cleared him to race. The event is the first international race for Botterill and Köhne as a crew, and their main objective is to complete the full distance.
Variawa and Moore have had recent success in the SARRC, winning the INGCO Parys 400 in June. However, they rolled out of the Outeniqua 400 in August but were unhurt. Ferreira and Palmeiro have also had success recently, claiming a fifth consecutive win at the Baja TT Sharish Gin in Reguengos, Portugal.
After the Rally of Morocco, TGRSA's SARRC campaign resumes on October 9 and 10 at the VAPS HCV Vryheid 400 in KwaZulu-Natal. The team is confident in their car's performance, with Variawa stating that he is "quite confident with how the car has been over the last few races."
The Rally of Morocco is an important event for TGRSA, with the team's GR Hilux IMT EVOs looking to make a strong impression on the international stage. With a strong lineup of drivers and navigators, the team is well-prepared for the challenges ahead.
Key points
- Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa enters three GR Hilux IMT EVOs in the Rally of Morocco.
- The event is the fourth round of the 2026 FIA World Rally-Raid Championship.
- TGRSA arrives at the rally unbeaten in the domestic championship, having won every round of the 2026 SARRC.
