1st CAR | LUCAS MORAES | TOYOTA GAZOO RACING W2RC
“It was a very special race for me. Last year I raced here and finished on the podium. To see all the fans and all the support we had, especially as Brazilians in Portugal, was amazing. I knew it was a very important event for the championship and also a fantastic opportunity to drive. We were very consistent and I think that made the difference. The stages were very demanding, not easy at all, because the car is built to race in the desert and here, sometimes, the course was too narrow. We had to be very careful with the tires and not hit anything on the edges. But I’m really, really happy to take this win for Brazil. It’s the first time a Brazilian driver has won a round of the W2RC. The car was perfect every day. There was a good fight with my teammates, we did a 1-2 for the team, and we also secured the manufacturers’ title. A fantastic result and a great week. I’m proud of the team and what we achieved together. At the start there was some team strategy, because Henk was a bit further ahead in the championship. The idea was maybe for him to win, to get closer to Nasser. But we kept the pace. We knew we had the speed and said: ‘we have a chance to win the race, let’s keep going.’ The most important thing was to secure the 1-2, without risking both cars, and that’s what we did. Now both of us are very close to Nasser and in a good position for Morocco. For now, it’s time to celebrate a bit, and then from Monday we’ll start thinking about Morocco. It’s going to be a tough fight, but as a team we should be proud. We were consistent all week, so we go into Morocco with confidence.”
2nd CAR | HENK LATEGAN | TOYOTA GAZOO RACING W2RC
“It was a very good race. It was our first time in a W2RC round in Europe. We came in knowing our position in the championship. There was some pressure. And since it was our first time racing on this type of terrain, it was all about gaining experience. Normally it takes a few years to be quick in these events, and coming straight in on the pace was very positive. It’s encouraging for the future and I’m happy with the work we did. Brett was spot-on with the notes. The car worked really well, so overall, I’m satisfied. And now comes Morocco, fighting for the title against Lucas and Nasser. Until now I had only done Dakar and one event in South Africa. The rest is all new. Morocco will also be the first time for me and for Brett. The challenge will be to adapt to the terrain, but we already know the car and the team. Of course, it’s a bit of a disadvantage, but we’ll do our best to get up to speed quickly.”
3rd CAR | SÉBASTIEN LOEB | THE DACIA SANDRIDERS
“Our goal for Morocco is to win the drivers’ championship with Nasser and also prepare for Dakar. It’s essential to do a good rally in Morocco. Here in Portugal we saw that the car has potential. I made a mistake on day two that took me out of the fight for the win, but otherwise it went well. Portugal is very different from Morocco or Dakar, so it wasn’t the ideal place to test. We’ll look for good setups for this type of rally and focus on the car’s reliability. The rules are very restrictive, there isn’t much room for big changes, but small adjustments can be decisive to be at 100%.”
W2RC DRIVERS’ STANDINGS LEADER | NASSER AL-ATTIYAH | THE DACIA SANDRIDERS
“First of all, congratulations to Lucas and Henk for the great result. For Dacia it was our first time here in Portugal and we realized it’s a very tough event for the cars. Toyota has a lot of experience in this kind of rally. Even so, in the last two days we were close to the front. It’s a new car and we’re learning what we need to improve. For races in Morocco, in the open desert, we already have the key. Last year we already won there with Dacia. The goal is to defend the title and we will give everything. For Morocco I have a lot of experience, I’ve won six times. I know what to do. The team is ready and the car should be strong in the open cross-country terrain. We’ll work day by day to manage well and win the championship.”
JEAN-MARC FORTIN – TEAM PRINCIPAL, TOYOTA GAZOO RACING RALLY-RAID & DAKAR W2RC
“I have kind of a football team, and I know a great Portuguese coach who always says: ‘what happens inside the team, stays inside the team.’ I won’t go into details. What matters is that we achieved the 1-2, and that’s fantastic. Three consecutive titles for Toyota is extraordinary.”