TOYOTA GAZOO Racing South Africa (TGRSA) delivered a commanding performance at the 2026 GR Stella 1000 Marathon this weekend, with Guy Botterill and Henry Köhne claiming overall victory after leading South Africa’s toughest rally-raid event from start to finish.
The three-day marathon, contested over almost 1,000 kilometres of demanding terrain around Stella in the North West Province, tested crews, machinery and strategy to the limit. It proved an ideal showcase for Toyota’s commitment to Quality, Durability and Reliability (QDR), with three GR Hilux IMT EVOs finishing inside the overall top five, while Toyota also secured the Manufacturers’ Award.
Botterill and Köhne laid the foundation for victory on Friday by posting the fourth-fastest time in the Qualifying Race before winning the opening two stages to take the overnight lead. From there, the pair opened the road throughout Saturday and Sunday, facing some of the event’s most challenging navigation through long grass, sparse tracks and classic desert-race terrain.
Despite the disadvantage of running first on the road, the crew never relinquished their advantage, bringing the GR Hilux IMT EVO home in a winning time of 9hr 49min 53sec after six competitive stages. It marked a dream first outing for Köhne alongside Botterill, who produced a faultless drive to secure victory in South Africa’s premier marathon rally-raid event.
“Unbelievable,” said Botterill afterwards. “It was a tough few days, leading the way all the way and opening the road throughout. Henry did a fantastic job. Today was super difficult, but we had a flawless run with no mistakes, and it is really special to win TOYOTA GAZOO Racing’s home event. A thousand kilometres of racing is no joke, especially in this terrain, but we are super happy to stand on the top step of the podium.”
Botterill was equally complimentary of his new navigator. “Henry was phenomenal. From practice to the first corner it felt like we’d been together for a long time. We’ve competed against each other for many years, but this was our first event together in the car and it worked fantastically.”
Championship leader Saood Variawa and Charan Moore once again demonstrated race-winning pace throughout the marathon. The pair remained within striking distance of the leaders throughout the event and started the final day less than a minute behind their team-mates. They mounted a determined charge during Sunday’s stages before their rally was disrupted by an incident involving a spectator vehicle on a transfer section before the final competitive stage. Although the crew repaired the damage and continued, they lost valuable time and eventually finished fifth overall.
“We definitely didn’t expect that,” said Variawa. “We were pushing from the start and had clawed back most of the gap. We gave it absolutely everything and were really in the zone, but unfortunately the incident damaged the car quite badly. It wasn’t the way we wanted to finish, but our pace was there all weekend.”
Youngster Sa’aad Variawa and navigator Wade Harris continued their impressive development by finishing fourth overall in what was their first marathon event. The pair overcame navigation challenges early in the event before sustaining front-end damage after striking a rock during Sunday’s running. Despite the setback, they persevered to complete the marathon just over ten minutes behind the winners.
“Not too bad overall,” said Sa’aad. “We had a few navigation issues early on and then damaged the front of the car after hitting a big rock, which made it difficult to turn left properly. After that it was about bringing the car home. It wasn’t the result we were capable of, but we finished the thousand-kilometre race and got all the mileage we needed. We’ll take the experience and move on to the next event.”
“Winning your home event has often proven to be a tricky prospect, but I am delighted that Guy and Henry were able to secure victory at the GR Stella 1000 Marathon,” said Glenn Crompton, Vice President of Marketing at Toyota South Africa Motors. “Toyota has long been associated with the longest and toughest races on the local calendar, and taking the top step of the podium after 1,000 kilometres of racing once again underscores the values of quality, durability and reliability that are central to everything we do. To see all three of our GR Hilux IMT EVO crews finish inside the overall top five, while also securing the Manufacturers’ Award, makes the result even more rewarding.”
The result capped another successful weekend for the team, with the GR Hilux IMT EVO once again demonstrating the characteristics that have become its trademarks in both local and international rally-raid competition. TOYOTA GAZOO Racing South Africa now turns its attention to the Century Property Developments / Century Racing Endurance Race in the Langkloof on 28 and 29 August.
