THABANG REGOENG
Toyota Gazoo Racing team driver Giniel de Villiers has marked a return to the prestigious Toyota 1000km Kalahari Botswana desert race with first place podium finish this past weekend at Jwaneng. Buoyed by the pairing with experienced navigator Dennis Murphy,the pair finished at the end of the first loop of the race on Saturday ahead of Leeroy Poulter and Robbie Howe of Toyota.
The 2009 Dakar winner however did not have a stroll in the terain in the last stages of the race as Poulter breathed down his neck in the later stages of race. “It is always nice to win the desert race as it always competitive.
Poulter prepared well for the race but at the end of the day I managed to edge him out by six seconds,a historic margin for the race.The race was a little bit open in the last stage but that was widely expected as the race is competitive,”De Villiers said after the race.
When the decorated South African driver (De Villiers) performs like he did this past weekend,it seems a ludicrous debate in regard to his off road driving potential. Since 2012,the experienced driver has been on the podium standings three times despite prioritizing the famed Dakar Rally.
Meanwhile the round three of the Donaldson Cross Country Championship bid farewell to Jwaneng as Botswana Tourism had previously declared Ghanzi will stage the race next year.