Dakar 2013 Winners Giniel De Villiers South Africa Toyota Hilux

DE VILLIERS AND VON ZITZEWITZ FINISH SECOND IN DAKAR RALLY “Giniel De Villiers and Dirk von Zitzewitz Dakar 2013 second place winners” Giniel de Villiers and Dirk von Zitzewitz, driving a South African-built Toyota Hilux 4×4 for the Toyota Imperial Team, were second overall in the Dakar Rally which ended in Santiago, Chile on Saturday afternoon.…

DE VILLIERS AND VON ZITZEWITZ FINISH SECOND IN DAKAR RALLY

Giniel De Villiers

“Giniel De Villiers and Dirk von Zitzewitz Dakar 2013 second place winners”

Giniel de Villiers and Dirk von Zitzewitz, driving a South African-built Toyota Hilux 4×4 for the Toyota Imperial Team, were second overall in the Dakar Rally which ended in Santiago, Chile on Saturday afternoon.

It was their second successive podium finish in an Imperial Toyota Hilux in the world’s longest and toughest motor race – they were third last year at Toyota Motorsport’s first attempt – and they won the T1.1 class for petrol-powered 4×4 improved cross-country vehicles for the second year in succession.

Dakar Rally 2013

Toyota Hilux Dakar 2013 Rally Drivers

After 14 special stages in Peru, Argentina and Chile covering more than 4 000 kilometres and two crossings of the Andes Mountains at an altitude above 4 000 metres, the 2009 Dakar champions finished 42 minutes behind defending champions Stephane Peterhansel and Jean Paul Cottret of France in a Mini. Third overall in the general classification for cars were Russians Leonid Novitskiy and Konstantin Zhiltsov in another Mini, 46 minutes behind De Villiers and Von Zitzewitz.

Dirk von Zitzewitz

Dirk von Zitzewitz from Germany, Giniel De Villiers navigator and co-driver

Saturday’s final stage of 128 kilometres of fast tracks between La Serena and Santiago was won by Peterhansel’s Spanish team-mate Nani Roma and co-driver Michel Perin of France in another Mini, from Argentine Orlando Terranova and Portugal’s Paulo Fiuza in a BMW X3 and Argentinians Lucio Alvarez and Roland Graue in another South African-built Toyota Hilux. De Villiers and Von Zitzewitz were fourth.

Dakar 2013

A Proud Glyn Hall and Giniel De Villiers with the Toyota Hilux 2013 Dakar Pick-up

Three other Toyota Hilux 4x4s built by Kyalami-based Hallspeed for Toyota Motorsport were among the 92 finishers out of the 153 cars that started the rally in Lima, Peru, on January 5. Alvarez and Graue were classified 10^th, the Australian/British duo of Geoffrey Olholm and Jonathan Aston were 11^th and Poland’s Adam Malysz and Rafal Marton were 15^th.

Dakar Toyota

Giniel De Villiers and Dirk von Zitzewits second place winners at the Dakar 2013 rally, with some members of the Toyota Dakar 2013 Team

“This is a great result for Toyota Motorsport and then all-South African Toyota Imperial Team,” said team principal Glyn Hall. “It was achieved without any significant mechanical problem and it is testimony to the legendary toughness and reliability of South Africa’s best-selling bakkie.

Dakar 2013 Winners

Giniel De Villiers and Peterhanzel both Winners of the Dakar 2013

“This was a mighty performance by Giniel and our honorary South African, Dirk, and also by every single member of our technical and support crew, whose dedication and commitment contributed massively to this proud achievement. I am privileged to be manager of this fine team.”

These results are subject to confirmation. A formal ceremonial podium ceremony will take place on Sunday in front of Santiago’s Palacio de la Moneda, where the South African flag will fly proudly.

Dakar 2013 Giniel

Proud moment for Giniel De Villiers

Toyota Motorsport Acknowledges Its Dakar Sponsors, Specialist Official Suppliers and Technical Partners

Toyota, Imperial Toyota, Duxbury Netgear, SAA, SAA Cargo, Innovation Group, Toyota Financial Services, Blue Sky, Bosch, Castrol, DeWalt, Donaldson, Edgecam, 4×4 Mega World, Hallspeed, Mastercraft, Michelin, Mistral, NGK, Oakley, SKF, Spanjaard and TFM.