Isidre Esteve change car. The pilot from Lleida will premiere at the Morocco Rally –at the end of next week– a Toyota Hilux T1+almost the same as the winner of the last edition of Dakar Rally (only the engine changes) and is exactly the same as the third classified. With this car, Repsol Toyota Rally Team will compete head-to-head against the new elite of the specialty in the toughest competition in the world. Another step for Repsol in its efforts to continue developing its fuels and lubricants on the most demanding test bench.
“We joined the category T1+, the most competitive of the Dakar, with one of the 50 cars of the highest level that will have the event. We have made a very important step forward”, Esteve himself pointed out.
The accumulated Dakarian experience and, especially, the experiences of 2022 forced the Repsol Toyota Rally Team to bet on the T1+ category, as Esteve points out: “The cars in this division represent an important step forward on a technical level. If we want to continue to grow and be competitive, we need to acquire one of these units, and we have achieved this. The first test kilometer on the Toyota Hilux T1+ proves that the leap forward is impressive. Now we can run more by taking half the risks we did last year.
The Toyota Hilux T1+ is the perfect machine for the toughest competition in the world. The big leap forward compared to the model used in January can be found at the point of contact with the ground: the wheels. Its four wheels have grown significantly, reaching 14 centimeters in diameter and seven more in width, and are mounted on rims that also increase in diameter, from 16 to 17 inches. This improvement, along with the extension of the suspension travel (from 275 to 350 mm), minimizes the risk of experiencing punctures on broken and rocky tracks, which will allow Isidre Esteve and Txema Villalobos supposed to increase speed on specials.
Improvements to the Repsol Toyota Rally Team’s Hilux T1+
The Hilux T1+ of the Repsol Toyota Rally Team It also includes significant improvements in the dynamic chapter, derived from a more central location of the engine and adjacent elements, such as the gearbox, tank or two spare wheels, and the increase in the overall width of 24 cm, which benefits. driving stability is outstanding. The responsibility of animating the whole remains in the hands of a V8 naturally aspirated gasoline engine with a displacement of 5 liters capable of delivering 350 hp and 560 Nm of maximum torque.
The service record of the Toyota Hilux T1+ in Dakar is impeccable. This is led, of course, by the absolute victory in the 2022 edition of the NAsser Al-Attiyah and third place Yazeed Al-Rajhiachievements to which should be added the presence of another four twin models in the top 10 of the final classification, making the Japanese car the most reliable in the competition.
Isidre Esteve Y Txema Villalobos They begin their journey to the new mountain next week in a test in North Africa. The team’s debut in competition will take place on Saturday, October 1, at the Morocco Rally, with the renewed support of Repsol, MGS Seguros, KH-7 and Toyota, through Toyota Gazoo Racing Spain.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
