TGRSA Prepares for the Challenge of Morocco
This week, Toyota Gazoo Racing South Africa (TGRSA) embarks on an exhilarating journey to the Rally of Morocco, showcasing three of their impressive GR Hilux IMT EVO vehicles in the fourth round of the 2026 FIA World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC). The rally, which takes place from Monday, September 28 to Saturday, October 3, will kick off on the stunning Atlantic coast in Agadir and culminate in the desert town of Zagora. The first day features a shakedown in Agadir, setting the stage for the opening stage on Tuesday, which covers a challenging 268 timed kilometers that connect the two host cities. Following this, the rally transitions into a four-day loop from Zagora, venturing into the breathtaking Chegaga and Chebbi dune fields, with the most demanding timed stages reaching an impressive length of 384 kilometers. Overall, competitors will tackle five stages that span a total distance of 2,524 kilometers, with 1,575 kilometers being timed, testing the resilience and skill of all three TGRSA crews.
The team's foray into Morocco comes on the heels of a stellar start to the 2026 South African Rally-Raid Championship (SARRC) season, during which TGRSA has dominated every event thus far. Saood Variawa and Charan Moore launched the season with a triumphant victory at the INGCO Parys 400 in June, followed by wins from Guy Botterill and Henry Köhne at Stella in July and again at the Outeniqua 400 in August. Currently, Botterill leads the SARRC drivers’ standings by 18 points, while Köhne is at the top of the navigators’ championship. Variawa, the reigning SARRC champion, holds the fourth position overall after an unfortunate incident in the Outeniqua 400, which did not result in injury for him and Moore.
Excitement and Preparation for the Rally
Representing TGRSA in Morocco, Botterill and Köhne (#216) will compete alongside Variawa and Moore (#215), with Portugal’s João Ferreira and Filipe Palmeiro (#240) also flying the TGRSA banner in a third GR Hilux. Ferreira and Palmeiro arrive in Morocco with impressive momentum, having recently secured their fifth consecutive victory at the Baja TT Sharish Gin in Reguengos, Portugal. Variawa and Moore are equally optimistic, entering the event with confidence after leading the Baja España Aragón earlier this month until a mechanical issue forced them to settle for third place at the finish.
Variawa expressed his confidence, stating, “We’ve got all three TGRSA cars here – João, myself, and Guy – and we’ve really prepared well for this one. I’m quite confident with how the car has been over the last few races. We led in Aragon and finished third overall after an issue cost us the lead, and possibly the win, but we still got the podium. My co-driver has been doing a tremendous job on the notes, and I’ve never felt this confident in the car with someone else. We’re really keen to get going in Morocco – we’ve got five stages, and we’re going to give it full gas.”
For Botterill, the Rally of Morocco serves not only as a competition but also as vital preparation for the upcoming 2027 Dakar Rally. He explained, “It was always our plan at the start of the year to try to do Morocco. It’s important for Dakar training, and for the driver and navigator to get a feel for that kind of terrain and the navigation of the open desert, which is always a challenge. This is the first time Henry and I are doing an international race together, and the first time either of us has been back in the desert since Dakar, so it’s important for us to find our feet here rather than in Stage One, Two, or Three of Dakar itself. Our main objective is simply to complete the full distance.”
Though Botterill had previously suffered a wrist injury during the Outeniqua 400, he has since been cleared to race. He commented, “Honestly, the car has been really good – the best I’ve ever driven – so I’m confident we’ll be fine.” Discussing the challenges ahead, he noted, “Morocco is a tough race. The navigation seems to get harder every year, and it has a reputation for big accidents, so we need to keep our nose clean and not make mistakes. The big picture is always Dakar, and if this is a stepping stone to get there, that’s exactly what we need it to be.”
TGRSA's SARRC campaign will continue on October 9 and 10 at the VAPS HCV Vryheid 400 in KwaZulu-Natal, while for Botterill and Köhne, the Rally of Morocco represents a crucial milestone on their journey towards the next Dakar Rally challenge.
As reported by novuspressbulletin.co.za.
