For Nasser and Mathieu, the final stage presented few real problems, despite challenging navigation. The pair had taken the lead in the rally during the opening stage of the event, and were never in danger of relinquishing that position. They won the prologue for the 2022 edition of the rally on January 1st, and powered to two more stage wins on their way to overall victory.

To Nasser, you maintained the top position in all the 12 stages! It was perfect. Congratulations on this long-awaited victory, repeating your success of 2019,” said Akio Toyoda President and CEO of Toyota.

This victory is significant for Nasser, as he has expressed the hope to win in the Arab world since the Dakar first moved to Saudi Arabia in 2020. He came agonizingly close in both 2020 and 2021, before securing his first win in Saudi Arabia in 2022. At the same time, the victory means a lot to the team who developed the new GR DKR Hilux T1+, which features larger wheels and tires, more wheel travel, and the 3.5 liter twin-turbo V6 engine that also powers the new Toyota Land Cruiser GR Sport. Winning the race with a new car is testament of the team’s ability to continuously push the limits of engineering, and build ever-better cars.

The 2022 Dakar Rally also marks the last appearance of the Land Cruiser 200 in which they fittingly finished with a one-two. It’s their 9th consecutive victory in the commercial vehicle category.

Dakar 2022 was the 44th edition of the iconic event, which first took place in January 1978. The event took place in northern Africa until 2007, with the 2008 event cancelled due to a terrorist threat. The rally moved to South America in 2009, where it enjoyed a decade of spectacular scenery and tough terrain. In 2020, the first Saudi Arabian edition of the event took place, with the 2022 edition covering 4,261 kilometers of competitive stages.