Racer from Komatipoort representing the Lowveld at the 2023 Dakar Rally
Eben Basson, a businessman from Komatipoort, is representing the Lowveld in the notorious Dakar Rally that started on 31 December in Saudi Arabia.
The #TeamHiluxRallyRaid driver and his co-driver, Leander Pienaar from Bloemfontein, were invited to join the G Rally Team from Belgium to participate in the 2023 Dakar.
Last year, the duo won the title of T1 Champions in the South African Rally Raid Championship in their Toyota Hilux DKR T1. This was a great achievement, considering that it was only Eben’s second season of racing, and his first year of racing with Leander.
He says it is a great opportunity for Leander and himself.
“It has been a lifelong dream to participate in the Dakar. There are no words to express my excitement and level of gratitude for this opportunity,” Eben says.
Basson and Pienaar are racing in an OT3 vehicle in the T3 Class. This is a smaller, yet powerful, side-by-side vehicle that packs a punch in the desert, rocky terrain, and especially around tricky, sharp corners. Its top speed is restricted to 135km/h.
The South African duo will be in one of two OT3s of the G Rally Team.
You can follow the Dakar journey on Facebook and Instagram @TeamHiluxRallyRaid or download the Dakar app from the App store or Google Play.
