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Issue #18:September 27, 2024
TLC will participate in the Rally of Morocco 2024 in Morocco from Friday, October 4, 2024, to Friday, October 11, 2024. Here, they will conduct the final test for the 2025 Dakar Rally. Two rally-spec cars based on the Land Cruiser 300 GR SPORT will be participating in the rally.
The Rally of Morocco 2024 will start on October 6 in the central Moroccan city of Marrakech, then move to the southeastern city of Zagora. From October 7, the first competition stage kicks off; participants will travel east on the route as they pass through the Merzouga sand dunes. The rally will take place over a total of six stages, culminating in the finish at Mengoub on October 11. In recent years, the Rally of Morocco has featured rough terrain, which places a heavy burden on the suspension, much like the Dakar Rally, along with challenging dune crossings. For the 2024 rally, a route covering a total distance of 2,468 km is planned.
TLC will conduct all simulations during this rally with the Dakar Rally in mind, ensuring they are fully prepared to take on the 2025 rally.
Scenes from the Rally of Morocco 2024 will be shared through TLC's official YouTube and Instagram accounts, so be sure to check them out. We also plan to livestream from the rally to bring you the excitement from the field. We encourage you to support the on-site team members through the comments feature.
[Rally of Morocco 2024 Overview]
| Date: | Friday, October 4, 2024 to Friday, October 11, 2024 |
|---|---|
| Total distance: | 2,468 km (including 1,512 km of competition sections) |
| Start: | Marrakech |
| Goal: | Mengoub |
[Rally of Morocco 2024 Participating Vehicles]
Land Cruiser 300 GR SPORT rally-spec cars competing in the rally as a 2-car team.
[Team Structure]
| Team Manager | Yuji Kakutani (Toyota Auto Body Co., Ltd., General Affairs Division, Public Relations Department) |
|---|---|
| Car #1 Driver | Akira Miura (Toyota Auto Body Co., Ltd., General Affairs Division, Public Relations Department) |
| Car #1 Navigator | Jean-Michel Polato |
| Car #2 Driver | Ronald Basso |
| Car #2 Navigator | Jean-Pierre Garcin |
| Chief Mechanic | Philippe Challoy |
| Mechanics |
Pedro Ambrosio Jerome Duperret Lucas Beurois Alex Cardoso Fumihiko Tanigami (Fukuoka Toyota Corporation) Tetsuya Sonda (Fukuoka Toyota Corporation) |
| Truck Staff |
Michel Beaujean Jean Bouley Jean-Marc Robert |
| Coordinator | Hiroyuki Okuchi |
| Vehicle Engineer | Derbecq Pierre Nicolas |
| Engine Engineer | Mel Diaz (ORECA) |
| Tire Engineers | 2 staff (TOYO TIRE Corporation) |
| Public Relations | Megumi Kato (Toyota Auto Body Co., Ltd., General Affairs Division, Public Relations Department) |